


Definition of Family

by Bleach_ed_Na_tsu



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Child Abandonment, F/M, Family, Gen, Training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-28
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2017-12-21 15:21:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/901819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleach_ed_Na_tsu/pseuds/Bleach_ed_Na_tsu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where Tsuna knew about the mafia, his parents weren’t often around- to the point Tsuna almost didn’t remember them- so instead, little Tsu~ had many different Mamas and Papas. First up...!(after prelude :p)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Heir Born

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know you want to get the pitch forks etc. But I call this a character development multi-shot. I find characters like the Varia difficult to characterise, so I figure, why not have fun with it and do an Mama!Papa!Vongola story with a baby Tsu~?  
> Now I’ve grown up and looked after/raise lots of children (cousins and little sister, as well as babysitting) off all ages, but even with my personal experience I did thorough research into each developmental stage of infancy and childhood- regardless, if you see something that you think is very wrong (even with creative licenses over Tsuna’s intuition etc.) please don’t hesitate to tell me. I may be having fun with this, but I like to be accurate.  
> Please enjoy despite the spelling, grammar, and tense errors I am prone to.

When Tsunayoshi was born the entire mafia world held its breath. He was the latest heir to the Vongola famiglia, and the entire Mafia – even the enemies funnily enough- wished the little heir good health and a happy future. With bated breath the mafia waited, listening in secret or waiting within the Vongola mansion –such as the Cavallone don, Shimon, Millfiore and the Varia squad- as the CEDEF head’s wife was rushed to the medic ward to deliver her first born son.  
It was a long ten hours, especially for one Timoteo Vongola. Now, you would think that the most tense was Iemitsu –CEDEF head, Nana’s husband, and the child’s father- but he hadn’t wanted a child yet and only agreed to having one because Nana had insisted and he could never say no to the lovely brunette he married.  
Timoteo on the other hand was tense for other reasons. The child would be the raised as a potential heir to Vongola. While he had three other blood-sons and an adopted son (though ineligible for the throne), in the Mafia line it was always wise to have back-ups and this new child had such a rare bloodline it was hard not to consider the possibility of him being the next Don (Decimo or otherwise), this new male heir was a direct descendent of Vongola’s Primo. But Timoteo had other reasons for the tension of the birth.  
The new male heir was not supposed to be raised within the Famiglia; he was originally going to be raise far away in Japan with his mother, on the insistence of Iemitsu. But things happened, and as of late the Vongola had been gaining power and enemies that targeted any distant relation to Nono or Vongola; being so family conscious Nono had actually ordered that Iemitsu bring his wife and unborn son into the fold. “To keep them safe and close. Your son will be raised amongst us and will be strong and safe. He will have a large family.” That was how Timoteo had assured his rather put-off advisor. The man had folded and brought into the Vongola his small family, not that in the end he had much of a choice.  
Now, Timoteo was as nervous as he was during the births of his own sons. He knew this new heir would be special, his intuition told him so. Though, it wasn’t just this that made this new baby special, Timoteo had grown close to Nana in the last trimester of her pregnancy, and he felt close to this new child whom he would help raise as his own grandchild- something none of his adult sons had given him.  
Suddenly, the doctor exited the maternity ward with a relieved, happy smile on his face. Iemitsu was on his feet in an instant. “How is Nana?” his tone was filled with love and warmth and Timoteo’s eyes crinkled in warm laugh lines.  
“I take it you are the lucky man?” the doctor laughed heartily with a deep voice. “Congratulations Mr. Sawada. You are now father to a beautiful, healthy baby boy.”  
Iemitsu paused for a moment and his eyes misted a little, the doctor laughed a little before gesturing towards the doors, it took Iemitsu all of two moments before he was through the doors to see his wonderful wife and new child.  
Timoteo walked towards his friend and clapped him on the shoulder. The Doctor was well trusted and had delivered Nono’s own sons. He was the Vongola’s private doctor and was actually Godfather to most of the children bar Xanxus, who wasn’t baptised.  
“I pray there were no complications?” there was a worry in his tone, because Nana hadn’t been the healthiest during the last few months- stress had plagued her.  
The doctor sighed as he watched the weary eyes of the Vongola don. He wanted to lie, but he couldn’t. “He didn’t breathe right away and we worried for a while that he was underdeveloped for some reason.” He divulged. “But now the young boy seems perfectly fine, we’ll have to watch him closely for the first year or so. But nothing seems worryingly wrong.”  
Timoteo let loose a sigh of relief, the boy wasn’t his son yet his heart clenched at the thought of him being sick. “Good, thank you friend.”  
“Any time, Timoteo.”  
Next thing anyone knew, Iemitsu was barging out of the double doors, an orange bundle in his arms with the subtle hint of tears in his eyes.  
“Nono,” Timoteo heard the man explain softly, “say hello to your first grandson, Tsunayoshi Timoteo Sawada.”  
“Tsunayoshi Timoteo?” Timoteo’s eyes tears up considerably as he took the bundled package with his ‘grandson’ in it he smiled softly. “A Japanese-Italian name? How fitting for such a sweet child.” He looked into the warm, brown eyes of the child and was shocked with that happened next.  
There was a rush of heat that swirled the air around him and the child before a soft, orange hue created a gentle vortex from their feet to their heads. Timotei’s hair ruffled in the orange flames as his own core and the child’s resonated for a handful of minutes.  
Everyone’s eyes widened at the display, because not even Nono’s sons had displayed such strong, pure harmony in their flames, two of them didn’t even have Sky flames. Looking at the little baby, amazed to see a smile already, Timoteo looked up to the dumbfounded father.  
“You are quite blessed, Iemitsu.” He hummed as he rocked the drowsy baby. “Welcome to the family, dear Tsunayoshi.”

XXXX

When Nana –and the new heir Tsunayoshi- were allowed to leave the maternity wing and re-enter the new main estate three days later they were greeted with gift upon gift. Many famiglia’s had sent supplies and well wishes for the new family. Some had sent offers of engagement between first daughters and Tsunayoshi; others had simply sent greetings for the new babe. It was wonderful to see, because it brought Timoteo and the Cavallone Don to the births of their own sons and all the engagement offers they had received.  
The first few months were difficult, but easier than the new parents thought it would be, but difficult nonetheless. Though, they suspected that that was because they were not trying to raise the child alone. Tsunayoshi was proving to be rather observant, even as an infant, and was intensely curious about his surroundings. Naturally, as only a three months old infant, he could not do much and was relatively unaware of a larger part of his surroundings, but already he was aware enough to know who his favourite people were.  
Timoteo was amongst his favourite people. But the man imagined it was their resonating sky flames, seeing as Iemitsu did not contain such a flame; the Arcobaleno were some of the people Tsunayoshi was most comfortable being around, and the Varia were quickly coming to enjoy the child’s presence, even if some made a bigger show of it than others.  
What was apparent however was that looking after the young child and trying to adjust to the Mafia life was wearing on Nana. Even Iemitsu- for all intensive purposes- was obviously stressed out over the transition. But suddenly having your wife being a part of the life you had been hiding her from was rather stressful even without the added stress of an infant.  
So, after much deliberation and discussion –convincing- during Tsuna’s fourth month it was decided that Nana and Iemitsu would take a short vacation with Tsunayoshi being cared for by Timoteo and various other people within and from outside the mansion.  
“Thank you, Nono, I wouldn’t ask you to care for Tsunayoshi unless it was really necessary.” Iemitsu explained as he bowed to his boss. He couldn’t fathom how lucky he was to have such a caring, family oriented boss.  
“It’s fine, Iemitsu, I care for you like my own son, and young Tsunayoshi is a grandson to me. So I look forward to our time together.” Timoteo assured his adopted son.  
With that assurance Iemitsu grabbed his bag, clapped his boss on the back and gave his one a quick kiss to the forehead. His son looked on at him worriedly, as if; even as an infant he understood the meaning of the bags and of the worry in his father’s voice. But the older man who held him was ever so warm and Tsuna found that he couldn’t really worry about that blonde man leaving. He liked the old man and all the other people around him better.  
The new parents’ vacation was to last little around two weeks, just a short break from the stresses of new-parenthood when they could be assured that their child was taken care of by the large, extended, warm family he was going to grow up surrounded by. But, this short break started to become routine, and before anyone knew it Tsunayoshi no longer recognised the blonde haired fool or the lovely brunette as his mama and papa. Tsunayoshi grew in the surroundings of the Vongola mansion with fleeting moments with his parents, as they worked away –Italy, America, Cyprus, Japan, Brazil-or took extended absences, but he was not alone, Tsunayoshi had many Mamas and Papas and even more brothers and sisters. He was happy, and he was learning more things every day.

XXX

“Mama! Can I watch you train?”  
“Of course Tsu~” The first voice called. “Maybe I’ll even let you try a new move today.”  
“Yay!”  
The little boy wobbled towards his mama with the largest smile on his face. He didn’t care that none of his mamas and papas looked like him- all his siblings looked different too- Tsuna love his famiglia very very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought this was cute :p this is only the beginning, simply and interlude to the little pieces of Tsuna’s life with multiple mamas and papas including Varia, Vongola, CEDEF, Arcobaleno (a guilty pleasure of mine XD) and of course the Children of Vongola.  
> Thank you for reading, please review  
> Love you all  
> ~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3


	2. Four years old: Baking... and Muay-thai with Mama Lussuria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here if the first true chapter!! Poor Tsu~ left behind by Nana and Iemitsu to be raised by the friends (and foes) of the Vongola. So... who’s first? Well who else but Mama!Lussuria!!!  
> Congrats to: Summer.ice7, Vongolafan16 for getting it right! Let’s have a competition ne? I’ll put a hint at the bottom of each chapter and we’ll see how many of you reviewers get it right!  
> Now, I’ve grown up and looked after/raised lots of children (cousins, my little sister, and other babysitting jobs ect.) of all ages, but even with my personal experience I did thorough research into each developmental stage of infancy and childhood- regardless, if you see something that you think is very wrong (even with creative licenses over Tsuna’s intuition or being raised by Mafioso etc :p) please don’t hesitate to tell me! I may be having fun with this, but it’s always nice to be accurate. XD  
> Please enjoy despite the spelling and grammar and tense errors I am prone to.

There was singing coming from the kitchen. Now, that wasn’t unusual, the maids and cooks often sung lovely songs while they were working. Tsuna loved to listen, and he was being taught by Alphonso- the head chef- to sing songs too. This singing was different though. It was much less serious and had a funny little movement to it; like the singer was dancing.  
Tsuna’s other Mamas and Papas were all busy and even Nono-Nonno didn’t have time to play with him that day. So determined to find someone to play with him, little four year old Tsunayoshi Timoteo Sawada walked towards the double swinging doors of the kitchen to find out who was singing and dancing and see if he could play with them.  
There were dishes clinking and the sound of things being moved around, so when Tsuna pushed the door open- it was really heavy- he couldn’t help the huge smile spreading on his face when he figured out who it was baking in the kitchen.  
“Mama!”

XXX

Lussuria heard the kitchen door swing open but paid it little heed. He was having his TLC time with the kitchen and knew that anyone who entered and valued their life would soon leave without disturbing him. So swishing his hips again to the sound of his favourite song, Lussuria let out another bouncing line. What to bake, what to bake.  
Suddenly a loud call assaulted his ears and a strong weight slammed itself into his legs so hard that he almost dropped the thing of flour he was pulling off of the top shelf of the pantry. The weight only came up to his lower-thigh and he felt the tight arms wrap around his thigh with quite the strength.  
He startled as he caught the bag of flour and looked down into warm, happy brown eyes. Lussuria, strong, assassin, Lussuria couldn’t help but smile and coo at the adorable little boy that seemed to capture his heart.  
“Tsuna, how are you baby boy?” he asked with a flare in his tone.  
“I’m fine Mama-Luss’ I wanna’ cook with you.” He grinned.  
Now, the Muay-thai fighter was taken aback a little. It had been a long time since he spent some quality time with the young boy. It wasn’t often that the boy was without company, and with the Varia having to pick up the pace and rid Vongola of threats Lussuria wasn’t often around when the boy was without company. Everyone loved him, Lussuria understood that, but that didn’t mean he didn’t sometimes get jealous.  
“Oh~” he purred as he ruffled the messy hair that reached the top of his thigh. “Is there no one else around?”  
“Nope. Not even Nono-Nonno can play with me.” he pouted cutely. “Does that mean Mama doesn’t want Tsu’ around eider?” little tears pricked the boy’s eyes to Lussuria’s alarm, but he was quick to dispel them with a kiss to the forehead.  
“Of course not!” Lussuria defended. “I would love to bake with you.” He put his hand on his exaggerated hip and put a finger to his lip in contemplation. “How about, we bake a cake!”  
“Yay, Tsu~ wants a chocolate- no, stawbry cake!”  
Lussuria giggled as he lifted Tsuna onto a chair he pulled over from the small dining table in the corner and threw a little pink apron over his clothes. Last time Lussuria let Tsuna get dirty there had been hell to pay from the other mothers. Besides, Lussuria loved the little hoodie Tsuna was wearing; it looked like a kitten, tail and all. “S-traw-b-e-rry.” He corrected the boy.  
“Yeah, stawbry.” He smiled and Lussuria almost died from the cuteness.  
“Alright then, let’s get started” he clapped his hand and thrust his hip to the side and Tsuna tried to copy with a pout when his hips weren’t as prominent as his Mama’s.  
Together they started to mix the dry ingredients together to make the strawberry short cake. Flour went everywhere when Tsuna tried to sift it, and when he added the sugar it got stuck all over his fingers. Lussuria spent most of the time wiping flour off the boy’s round cheeks.  
When finally everything was mixed together, the wet ingredients and batter making ‘pretty pictures’ all over the walls and counter top, Lussuria poured the pink batter into two pans and –making sure Tsuna was well back- slid them into the hot oven.  
Really it would have taken Lussuria a quarter of the time if he were on his own, but with Tsuna laughing and trying his best not to mess up ‘Mama’s Kitchen’ he really didn’t mind that there was batter in his wonderful hair and flour all over his jacket. It was worth it when his little boy smiled and laughed and said “Mama Lussuria’s cake is the bestest cake ever.”  
“Okay little Tsu~.” He began with a smile as he scooped the giggling boy up and placed him on his prominent – for a male- hip. “We have a few hours before the cake bakes, Mama-Lus’ is going to go do some training, so stay out of the kitchen, okay poppet?”  
Tsuna looked up at his multi-coloured Mama with a frown that almost sent Lussuria scattering for the Camera- in case you were wondering it was mostly his actions that lead to the eighteen photo albums and counting of Tsunayoshi’s milestones- but instead his little baby tugged on the fluffy orange tuft of hair closes to him.  
“Mama!” he cried while pouting. “Can I watch you train? Pretty please?!”  
Now, Lussuria adored Tsuna. He had always loved children despite his occupation, and no matter what, he fought Xanxus when their work touched onto the delicate topic of killing/maiming/wounding a child- psychologically or physically. And Lussuria would often be found in the Vongola orphanage fussing over all the little tykes that were under Nono’s care. He started it not long after joining the Varia when he was younger and had only gotten more protective of children since Tsunayoshi’s arrival. After four years of caring and raising the child while his parents did hell knows what, Lussuria had a soft spot for Tsuna.  
Of course, it hadn’t always been easy. Tsuna was sick when he was younger and had many people he had to share his time and love with. It did help that his boss had a soft spot for Tsuna, and no one denied Xanxus when it came to his time –by default the Varia’s- with Tsuna, so Lussuria got more than his fill of time with the boy.  
“Mama Lussuria?”  
Ah, he loved to be called so gently. That was how you could tell the relationship the boy had with the adults –or anyone older than say eighteen- in his life. If you were a brother to him you were special, but weren’t really the one he’d go to when he was scared or really needed attention. No, you knew you were especially special to young Tsunayoshi if he called you Mama and Papa; Lussuria was proud enough to know that he was the fourth to be called Mama and was the second in the Varia.  
“Of course Tsu~” Lussuria sang, “Maybe I’ll even let you try a new move today. Have you been practicing?”  
“Of course, Mama! Tsu~ has been practicing with Mama and Papa!”  
“Then you can come with me, of course!”  
“Yay!”  
Tsuna clapped his hands as he and Lussuria made their way out through the back-doors of the kitchen and across the small garden to the training Gym. Lussuria wasn’t one to use flames, and with a cake in the oven he didn’t need or have time to go to one of the underground training rooms.  
Setting Tsuna down on the floor of the gymnasium Lussuria shed his Varia jacket before doing a few stretches.  
“Tsu~ make sure you warm up well.”  
Tsunayoshi nodded happily to his mama and started to stretch and move in a way one of his other Papa’s had shown him. His grace far outshone a normal four year old, but that was expected really. He crouched and moved like flowing water, stretching his arms then his legs, he cart-wheeled and flipped, only missing his footing slightly and landing on his butt.  
Lussuria practically squealed when he watched his ‘little Tsu’ stretch and move the way he did. It was so cute, his little face pouted in concentration. Then he squealed even louder when his Tsu fell over, because the look of shock and confusion on his face was just too adorable for words.  
“Sorry Mama- Lus’ I missed my step.” He tilted his head with a look of heavy contemplation scrunching his eyebrows ever-so-slightly. “I don’t know what Tsu~ did.”  
Suddenly Tsunayoshi wasn’t sitting on the floor anymore and was up and in Lussuria’s arms getting the life cuddled out of him. “Oh my~ Tsu~ Why you are sooooo adorable!”  
Tsunayoshi could only giggle and try to push the multi-coloured hair out of his face as his Mama rubbed his face all over Tsuna’s. “Mama!” Tsuna laughed “Mama Stop! It tickles Mama-Lussuria!”  
Finally Lussuria got his fill of Tsuna’s laughter he put the child down and walked over to the stereo that had been neglected until then. He put his favourite exercise playlist on low before turning to his little boy.  
“So, show me how high you can jump now, you know the deal, I won’t teach you how to use your knees to fight.” Lussuria reprimanded lightly. He –and the vast majority of everyone who met Tsunayoshi- could never truly reprimand the young child. It helped that he didn’t often need reprimanding.   
“Hai, Mama!” It had been decided to teach Tsuna Japanese –as well as other languages- and the boy took to them well, as many children did.  
Tsuna took his time jumping up and down, to the casual observer he was just jumping up and down at a rather slow pace, as if a child on a trampoline. In fact, Tsuna was springing the same height as if he was on a trampoline. Suddenly, as if realising he had the right height he pushed off the ground a little stronger, with that extra energy Tsuna jumped as high as Lussuria was tall, then, pulling in his center of gravity he pulled in a lazy flip before landing again, before promptly falling on his butt again.  
“Awh, I fell again, Mama Lussuria!” he pouted. While Tsunayoshi was graceful beyond his years he was still rather clumsy, especially during his training.  
“Oh my~” Lussuria giggled “Well, you did make the right height, so I’ll show you how to use your knees to attack like I do.”  
Tsuna cheered and watched as Lussuria walked him through the steps for drop-kneeing your opponent while putting as little strain on your body as possible.  
“Now Tsu~” he made sure the boy was watching, “instead of flipping do what I did and land on this.” Lussuria pulled out a thick landing mat that high-jumpers usually landed on. But for this purpose it would do.  
“Of course Mama! Tsuna will do his best!”  
Lussuria couldn’t help but ruffle the tyke’s messy hair and smile with a soft, fluttery ‘of course you will’ and a quick push towards the impact mat. He watched on with narrowed eyes and his arms crossed over his chest as the little brunette skipped towards the thick blue mattress.  
Tsunayoshi, despite having no ‘parents’ in his life was vastly more mature, understanding, and conscientious than other children. That could be because he had far more parental figures than any average child would ever have in their life.  
Now, just because Tsuna turned out better than anyone in the Vongola ever imagined- except the Varia of course, Tsunayoshi was Varia Quality- didn’t mean that Lussuria agreed with what Tsunayoshi’s mother and father were doing. It had been the better part of a year since they had been to the mansion, his mother had stuck around for a week last time, but his father was gone the day he arrived. Lussuria hated it, because his child deserved much more from his birth-parents.   
Looking over his baby boy jump high, flip and come down onto the thick matting on his knees, Lussuria couldn’t help the rage course through him. How he wouldn’t love to come down on that CEDEF leader’s thick skull and show him- brutally- what kind of damage he was creating between his adorable son and himself. One day Tsuna would no longer recognise him. Lussuria didn’t care of course, the less people in Tsunayoshi’s life the more time Lussuria got with the adorable little toddler.  
Lussuria smiled again when Tsunayoshi looked over and asked if he was doing okay. Lussuria nodded and moved to do some practice of his own, occasionally correcting Tsuna so he could get the gist of the movement. He had loads of time to teach the boy everything, but just understanding the basics was good enough for an afternoon’s work.  
Suddenly, when the pair were getting a drink of water, Tsuna tuned to Lussuria with a large, bright smile.  
“I love you Mama-Lussuria.” The sheer sincerity and love in that phrase shocked Lussuria; it wasn’t like the boy was stingy with his words of love but to hear such sincerity in a world where they often came home with blood and guts all over their weaponry, and well it served to tear up Lussuria’s eyes.  
“I love you too Bambino.” He whispered as he hugged Tsuna close. “Shall we go get that cake?”  
“Yay! Let’s go get cake Mama!”

XXXXX

“Papa! No!” Tsuna screeched as he tried to escape from his Papa’s arms. “No Baf!”  
“Brat! Get back here!”  
“No! Mama!”  
Tsuna continued to run around the living room, avoiding his Mama and Papa with agility that was certainly not suppose to be in an child who had been walking only eight months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you haven’t noticed, time is a little mixed up. Here’s a list of time ranges so you can get a feel for this Au-ish story.  
> Varia – during Tsuna’s birth are in their mid teens. Lussuria being the eldest followed by Levi and Xanxus then everyone else mixed in from 12-18 years old with Bel being the youngest and Fran being say three or so years younger. The cradle affair hasn’t or won’t happen.  
> Arcobaleno - All are in their adult form –uncursed or precursed- are in their early 20’s when Tsuna is born apart from Luche and Skull who are older and younger respectively from 16-25 years old with Skull being the youngest, Luche being the oldest and everyone else in between.  
> Vongola kids- For the most part will be the ages they should be by Canon. So all are born within the year of Tsuna being born and other than Hibari, Ryohei, and Mukuro who are a year older, will follow the same ages as Tsuna.  
> Cavallone – I can’t remember Dino’s Canon age, so I’ll just take a guess that he’s about seven years older than Tsuna... so when Tsuna is born he is six or seven and will age accordingly from there.  
> Millfiore – They’re all babies!! XD All are around the same age as Tsuna apart from Torikabuto and Kikyo who are four years older and Daisy and Bluebell who are seven years younger... so sorry Bluebell and Daisy fans (me included T^T) they won’t be in this fic. unless I continue into Tsuna’s life after around six or seven years old.  
> If I’ve confused you please PM me and I’ll try to end your confusion.


	3. Sixteen months old: Fear of the bathtub... with Papa Colonello and Mama Lal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are the best thing to ever happen in my life, I hope you all realise this. I am going through a really hard time and you guys are the reasons I smile and get on with the day. I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who favourite and followed this story and to all those who reviewed. You have no idea just how much it means to me and how much I appreciate you doing it for me. So truly and wholly Thank you very much for everything you all do for me.  
> Just a warning: none of these will be in coherent order. I will write them as I think of them, so be aware of the title. One minute Tsuna may be six months old, and the next four years. Hope it isn’t too confusing!!

Nono looked down on the young child sleeping in his arms with a dear fondness that entered deep into his eyes. He cradled the boy as he rocked and paced around the office in a comfortable, familiar way. How many years had it been since he had been able to do that with his own sons? Surely more than twenty, his boys were grown and gone now.  
Nono had been apprehensive about young Tsunayoshi entering the Vongola, of course he had been, but now having had the boy in his life for the better part of a year and a half, well the aged Don could not regret it.  
There was something special about a young child, so dependant and pure, that will train a Mafioso out of the blood. Tsunayoshi had been very good at helping soften the people under Nono’s wing in a way that left them not vulnerable, but more purely protective of those they had a duty to protect or love; including, young Tsunayoshi.  
But there was bitterness in the situation; something Timoteo was eternally regretful of.  
He never imagined that his ‘Young Lion’ would turn out to be such a negligent father, and Nana, Timoteo never pegged her as so frivolous. Though he knew he was partly to blame, he should have never allowed the pair to go off, now they did not know the hardships of parent-hood nor of the love of a child. Tsunayoshi was still imprinting, but not on those of his blood and birth.  
Nono loved Iemitsu as his own son, and Tsunayoshi was more a grandchild than any other child under Vongola’s wing. But still, the boy didn’t deserve to have his parents away so often, though he wondered if Tsunayoshi ever noticed, so surrounded by people as he was. That was why Nono made it his duty to spend as much time with the child as he could. He wanted to make up for the lack of ‘parental’ love the child received, make a routine with someone for the child, even if Tsunayoshi got ten-folds of the same kind of love from others that entered and left his life regularly. However, Nono was a Don; he could not spend all his time with the young brunet babe, as much as he wished he could.  
Sighing and shifting the young baby in his arms, Timoteo sat at his desk and pulled the phone to his ear, cradling it in his shoulder as he dialed the familiar number.  
“Colonello, Kora.” A warm, boisterous voice greeted the aged man and made him smile.  
There was the rustling of papers then a cry of pain from the energetic blonde. “CEDEF here, Lal Mirch speaking.” Was the monotone of the female CEDEF officer that greeted Nono instead.  
“Good morning Lal, I have a favour to ask of you and Colonello; if you have the time.” There was laughter in his tone and as usual it set to relax Lal’s naturally tense shoulders.  
“Of course, Nono, what can we do for you?” she asked with a professionalism that never failed to make Timoteo shake his head with fondness, the woman was the best, but she could do to relax a little when she wasn’t on a mission.  
“I need you to look after my grandson for the evening and possibly into tomorrow as well, I have meetings and I don’t like the thought of having him wander the mansion with no one to look after him. Would you mind? I know its short notice; if not I can see if Xanxus or one of the others is free.”  
Now, it wasn’t as if Nono didn’t trust the boy, but he was one; the main fact was that even at one and a half the boy had a delicate personality. He liked to be held and close to people. He needed attention and he was often subject of bouts of tears because he was alone. It hurt Timotei to see it and when he could he ensured that the boy wasn’t just with the maids of the mansion but one of the main famiglia. A maid is what usually raised mafia children, but Tsunayoshi wasn’t simply a mafia child.  
“Of course we’ll care for the kiddo, Kora.” Colonello’s enthusiastic voice never ceased to bring a smile to the lips of the Don, the man was especially enthusiastic around Tsunayoshi and it was wonderful to see. “We’ll come pick him up in an hour or so.”  
There was more shuffling and shouting. A “Don’t be disrespectful to Nono, brat!” and a confirmation from Lal that they would be at the doors of the mansion in an hour before taking Tsunayoshi to the CEDEF mansion and their little apartment within that.

XXXX

Colonello arrived at the door first, completely thrilled with the idea of taking Tsunayoshi for a few days, he truly loved the little tyke. The boy started giggling and reaching for the blonde even before the sniper was fully through the door. Timoteo chuckled fondly; Tsunayoshi was awfully intuitive about the people who were around him.  
“Hey there little Tune!” Colonello smiled. “You lookin’ forward to staying with us for a while, Kora?”  
Tsuna squirmed until the old man holding him almost lost his grip, but by then the boy was already in the safe confined of a trained assassin’s arms. The boy cuddled up close, smiling and happier than Timoteo had seen him lately. The boy had been very confused by the arrival and disappearance of his mother and father earlier that week. He knew who they were –for now- but not why they kept leaving. It was weighing on Tsunayoshi to watch them arrive and go with no rhyme or reason.  
Another reason Timotei was sending Tsuna off to see some other people who loved him.  
“Papa-Co!” Tsuna practically squealed into the man’s chest.  
Tsuna loved his papa, he was bright and calm all at the same time. Tsunayoshi didn’t know why the man was so energetic, but he loved to play with and be in his papa’s arms. They were safe and warm and he knew his papa would fight all the monsters under his bed and the boogiemen in his closet. But his Papa-Co also taught Tsuna to be strong and to fight the boogiemen on his own- but Tsuna still called Papa-Co, just in case.  
He hadn’t seen his Papa or his Mama in a long time; they worked for his Nonno-Nono and were always away. He didn’t see them, or his other Papas and Mamas who were a part of their group. So when Grandpa Nono had told Tsunayoshi that he was going to stay with Lal and Colonello for a few days, well, Tsunayoshi had laughed and smiled until he cried. He missed everyone when they left. He would miss his Grandpa, but he would see him soon. He lived with his grandpa and his other Papa’s in the mansion. He wouldn’t be gone long.  
“Bai, bai Nonno-Nono.” Tsuna giggled as he and Colonello walked away, he kissed the man on the cheek before they turned away. He waved as his Mama-Lal walked up to his grandpa and smiled as Colonello started tickling and teasing him.  
For Colonello it had been far too long since seeing the child. “Ah, we’re going to have so much fun, little Tuna, Kora!”  
“Sorry for the short notice Lal.” Nono divulged as they watched the blonde soldier spin Tsunayoshi around. “I wouldn’t ask if I could help it.” The old man really meant it. Tsunayoshi was the world to him now that he was under his primary care.  
“It’s fine, Nono, if we didn’t want to take him we would have said. The idiot over there enjoys his company.” She gestured with her chin towards the blonde sniper and young child as she took Tsunayoshi’s bags off of Timotei.  
“But you do too.” It wasn’t a question and he couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath at the short flush on Lal’s cheeks.  
The woman was finally beginning to loosening up, for that Timoteo couldn’t be happier.

XXXXX

They ate a small, simple lunch when they got home, there was wonderful giggling and happy ‘Kora’s’ all around. Both the adults were contented and the child was over the moon. After all, being able to spend time with both his Mama and Papa was rare. If one wasn’t working the other usually was.  
For the past few months Tsuna had a fascination with building block towers, Colonello had heard this and made Tsuna some blocks during his free time. They were all perfectly square, painted and carved with either animals or the alphabet, small enough to fit in his hand and large enough that Tsuna had to use two sometimes. Colonello sat on the floor with Tsuna as Lal finished cleaning up the kitchen and was setting Tsuna’s clothes in his room. It was strange to refer to it as Tsuna’s room, but the empty spare room in their two bedroom apartment- three if you count their study- had since been filled with a little crib, toy upon toy- all bought or made by Colonello- and it was only natural that the little room was soon painted a pretty blue and deemed Tsuna’s room. From the round-label on the door it was obvious that the two adults living in the west wing of CEDEF’s mansion truly loved the little boy it belonged to.  
Tsuna toddled around the blocks in amazement, picking some up before putting them down, his eyes were wide and filled with amazement and Colonello couldn’t help but chuckle. “Do you like them Tsuna?” he asked with a smile.   
“I wike ‘em Papa.” Tsuna grinned. The boy was starting to get some teeth through, slowly but surely. The boy was also waking incredibly well, not running yet – much to Colonello’s annoyance- but better than most eighteen month olds.  
“Well guess what, Kora?” Colonello grinned when Tsuna tilted his head to the side in silent askance. “Your Papa made those.”  
Suddenly brown eyes widened and the block in Tsuna’s hands dropped to the floor. “Papa did?” there was awe in his voice and Colonello had to stop himself cackling and cuddling the boy. Instead, the sniper nodded enthusiastically.  
Suddenly he had an arm full of Tsuna who was babbling on about how amazing his papa was and if it was okay for him to play with them. Colonello felt a swell of pride bat against his chest and a small burn of tears in the corner of his eyes. He indulged in Tsuna’s hug and nodded back at the boy. “Now, shall we show your Mama how amazing you are and built a giant castle for her?”  
“Un!” was the boy’s only reply but the brightest smile he owned, one he only ever gave to his Mamas, Papas and siblings.  
When Lal came in there was a small castle of blocks with Tsuna ‘bouncing’ around it in joy. She still didn’t really understand everything about children, but she knew Tsunayoshi inside out. To know he was so happy over simply building a castle made her walk over and sit cross-legged on the floor with him.  
“What’s this brat?” she asked with all the love and affection in her voice that Tsunayoshi craved in the big empty mansion.  
The boy spun around to face his mama- who he hadn’t heard enter- and grinned before wobbling over to her and sitting in her lap. “Tsu never made a cawsil befow!” he grinned babyishly. “Papa-Co made it for me.”  
Lal ruffled the head of chestnut hair fondly, “Well you better learn to build a better one then. You wouldn’t want this slacker to outdo you, now would you?”  
Tsuna adamantly shook his head with a look of shock on his round, chubby face, “No!” he giggled. “I wanna’ be good as Mama!”  
She smiled again and hid her eyes behind the fringe of blue hair. Colonello simply burst out in outrageous laughter at Lal’s predicament. Tsunayoshi continued to babble along about different things that neither adult could understand, but both smile regardless. “Aw Lal, are you being embarrassed by a child?” he laughed; he didn’t notice the smirk Lal sent him.  
“Don’t let yourself get like that idiot, alright Tsunayoshi?” she explained to the curious child with seriousness, and not to displease his Mama, of course Tsuna nodded adamantly.  
“O-oi, Lal!” Colonello shouted in indignation, “Don’t tell Tune that I’m useless!”  
Soon enough they had finished playing with the blocks and Colonello decided to break out the easel and the paints. Tsuna used his hands to make shapes and patters, but in the end it turned into a huge mess. Though Tsuna was adamant that the two colourful blobs were his mama and papa. The two soldiers could only laugh along and nod, though Lal simply shook her head in exasperation.  
“Looks like it’s time for someone to take a bath, Kora!” Colonello smiled as he saw Tsunayoshi’s painted predicament.   
Young Tsunayoshi was covered in paint, greens splattered his clothes, and yellows and reds were all over his arms. There was some paint on the floor and even streaks across his cheeks. Considering he painted with his hands it wasn’t really surprising.  
As soon as the words left Colonello’s mouth the blood in Tsuna’s face had drained away and he was as pale as a sheet. When Colonello approached–with sheer worry- the boy sprang from the paint set and started skittering around the room. He couldn’t ‘run’ yet, he was still a little unstable in his walk, but when he was training he was more balanced and the more balanced he was the faster he went. It was in an enclosed space and scared Tsunayoshi’s pace became something unachievable to any other below three years old. Though it was still clumsy and unrefined, he still tripped and it was only his small size that let him get through his Mama and Papa’s arms.  
“Papa! No!” Tsuna screeched as he tried to escape from his Papa’s arms. “No Baf!”  
“Brat! Get back here!” Lal had been amused, watching her ‘student’ try to catch a well-trained, scared one-and-a-half-year old. But now the brat was testing her patience.  
Yes, Lal loved Tsunayoshi and never failed to petition with her boss to come home and spend time with the young child- especially now when the signs of separation anxiety were making themselves known in the little child, he was imprinting quickly, on her, on Colonello, but especially on a few of the others; none of them Iemitsu or Nana.  
Lal was thorough if nothing else in her job, she considered the care of Tsunayoshi one of those jobs. She had researched it; it was at this age that separation anxiety started, already, during the first six months his parents had only been there for the beginning, Lal doubted Tsunayoshi even truly knew who his ‘parents’ were. The trust babies are suppose form with their blood-kin , in Tsunayoshi had been given to the famiglia members who lived with and cared for him, not to Iemitsu and Nana.   
Of course, her boss would not listen.   
‘Tsu~ is fine’ and ‘I saw him only a little while ago’ were his excuses. Lal worried sometimes that her idiot-boss had forgotten that he didn’t have to hide the Mafia from his child any more. Why else would he not want to spend time with such a wonderful young child? Of course, Lal didn’t think that at all. Not that Tsunayoshi was working his way into her heart or anything.  
“No! Mama!”  
Tsuna continued to run around the living room, avoiding his Mama and Papa with agility that was certainly not suppose to be in an child who had been walking only eight months.  
Something deep in her warmed when she heard the boy call her so warmly, she had pride to know that she was one of the first – the ninth to be specific- to be called so brightly, but it helped that the Arcobaleno – and her being in CEDEF- played a large hand in the Vongola and therefore in Tsunayoshi’s life, but that didn’t make it any less special when love laced the simple word. Lal would never admit it, but she longed for the day she could take it easy and have children of her own even if her pride lied with protecting the Vongola that gave her a home.  
It wasn’t even that long ago Tsunayoshi had truly started speaking, even now the tyke could say a select few words- Mama, Papa, no, yes, juice, box, ring, bed, sleep- things of that nature, their names of course, though some better than others, but to know she was one of the ones he thought so highly of was wonderful.

XXXX

Only four months ago she would not touch the boy. When Colonello would throw him up and catch him with a carefree laugh and some pretty high screeches from the child, well Lal didn’t know what to think.  
She had met him at his fist birthday party- one his parents didn’t arrive home for- and she had been surprised to see exactly who was present and who was not. It was strange to see such hardened Mafioso surrounding the little boy who was warm and generous, and just pure. There were the Varia, Arcobaleno, Cavallone and even the various young children of the famiglia’s under Vongola’s care or the orphans who were a part of the famiglia.  
Though at the time Lal only went for protection, and because Nono had invited her, she didn’t feel a bond to the boy, nor any enjoyment in the party. She felt it her duty to show her face and besides, Colonello was so excited about the party.  
The man was completely captured by the baby, throughout the party he tried to get her to play with the boy, to have a hug or simply to go near him, but she remained adamant. She was not meant to hold or care for children; she was a Mafioso for god’s sake. He was a child. It wasn’t meant to happen.  
Colonello had given up and went to play with the boy and the various ‘Vongola children’ -as they were more commonly known as- when they played silly games under the watchful eyes of one very protective group of adults and older teens.  
It was towards the end, when the young children had been taken away, and duty finally taken the adults back to work that Lal, Colonello and a select few were left in the family room watching over the Cavallone boss’ child and Tsunayoshi.  
The heir was playing with a few of the other adults, his father included, when Tsunayoshi had approached her on not so wobbly feet- he had been walking since nine months. He was far more stable on his feet than most one year olds, and it was because Nono had ensured the boy was trained- softly for now- so he would not he injured or taken advantage of in his Mafia future. So with sure steps, the young birthday boy approached Lal and latched onto her leg.  
She looked down in surprise, and in the corner of her eyes noticed Colonello sit straight when the boy approached her. Looking into the clear, golden-brown eyes she couldn’t help but see the burning fire behind them and see the potential in his body. Lal supposed at the time that it was the boy’s lineage that made her so interested; he was Primo’s final descendent after all that was enough to get half the mafia- and the rest- interested in the boy.  
“What do you want, boy?” she asked in a tone that was probably harsher than it needed to be. The other mafia members in the room had stiffened up when they heard her voice, having for the better part of the night forgotten the steely woman was there.  
Colonello watched the scene with interest, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Lal didn’t notice really because the boy lifted his arms up and made grabbing hands in askance. “What’s that?” she had asked, not about to let the boy become demanding.  
“Up!” he called out in a toddlerish voice, but with better inflection than most. Again, Nono insisted he get tutored from a young age, he wouldn’t have the boy taken advantage of because he didn’t fully understand mafia-etiquette. Though the lessons were few and far between- besides the private ‘tutoring’ the young child received from those around him.  
“Up peas.” He smiled and she sighed through her nose. He wanted up.  
Suddenly the boy squeaked as he was hoisted up into the arms of the blonde sniper. He called happily as he snuggled into the willing arms of the man, and Lal couldn’t help but smile.   
She would never admit to loving the fool to anyone. But the man was her best friend, and despite their bickering and their squabbles they were close enough to make their relationship seem non-existent while enjoying the company of the other. To see him handle the child, to pick him up and coddle him. Well, Lal couldn’t help but enjoy the scene.  
“Papa-Co!” The boy babbled in the man’s arms, smiling and happy, and kissing the blonde’s cheeks with love lacing his movements. It made Lal smile even more, because she couldn’t see any place the blonde belonged more than with a child in his arms.  
“I want you to meet someone, Lal.” He called over to his fiancé with softness that startled her a little. He rarely used such a soft voice.  
“What is it?” she demanded rather coolly. She walked over to the man and was surprised to see young Tsunayoshi making ‘grippie’ hands at her again with a small pout on his face. She could do nothing but blink at the child. Really, what did it want?  
“This is Tsunayoshi. Little Tune this is Lal.”   
The child looked at her again with those warm brown eyes, Lal watched on curiously but with enough space between them that the baby couldn’t touch her. She wasn’t really sure how to react around children; they always cried and needed support and love. She wasn’t that kind of person, she taught her students with a stiff, brutal hand, and the brunet in front of her looked to break with just even a misplaced breath.  
But nonetheless, Colonello placed Tsunayoshi into Lal’s arms and held him gently there until Lal could hold him on her own with no fear of her suddenly dropping the child. Lal of course was stood stock still as her fiancé placed the young child into her arms. He moved her to shift her weight, and naturally she shifted as he wanted. Soon enough she had a curious boy looking up at her as if she was supposed to do something.  
“Lal!” the boy smiles, such a wide, warm smile. “Nice to mweet ou.” Tsuna smiled toothily.   
Again, Lal could only stare at him and nod mutely. Again, not sure what she was suppose to do.  
Then Tsunayoshi leant forward with a determined glint in his eyes and a serious look on his little round face.  
“Ne, Lal, you’re awful pwety.” He said softly, so quiet that no one in the living room but Lal and Colonello could hear it.  
Lal almost instantly tightened her grip- only a little- on Tsuna and flushed a light pink that slowly grew darker as the young boy turned to his ‘papa’ to yell at him for laughing. “She is a pwety wadey, Papa-Co!”  
Colonello, despite himself and his ass later, had broken down laughing and was clutching at his stomach with only a hand on the mantelpiece to keep him upright. Nothing has prepared him for Tsuna’s little compliment. The boy was so perceptive, if not brutally naive. It was something warming and something sweet, even if in the future Colonello knew that innocence would disappear.  
Lal had stuttered for a moment, not sure whether to look and the laughing idiot on his way to collapsing on the floor, or the young child with such sincerity in his words. Lal was not confident in herself at all, she was also not very ‘lady-like’ to be called pretty by such a young child, one who could definitely not know about deceit- despite his current company- was something that warmed her deeply.  
“Thank you, bambino. You are very cute too, for a brat.”  
That had been four months ago, and two months ago the boy had called Lal ‘Mama ‘for the first time while they were cuddling on the couch, and she would be rather die than admit that she almost cried. Cause damnit she was a Mafioso. She didn’t care about the child. She didn’t want him to keep calling her by that damned name! 

XXXXXX

Suddenly the boy rounded the corner of the couch with Colonello chasing after him and Lal moved in. She picked up Tsuna up from under his arms and cradled the thrashing body of the almost-two-years old against her while rocking a little as she did to calm him.  
“Now now brat, you need a bath. Your Nonno told us to give you one.” Okay so a little lie wouldn’t hurt the brat.   
“No Mama!” tears started glistening to the horror of the gathered adults.   
Tsunayoshi was a cry baby, but he didn’t often use it to get his own way. He seemed genuinely scared of the prospect of a bath. He wasn’t a child to use crocodile tears, he often tried to hide his tears from the adults unless he was genuinely in a lot of pain or was suddenly or seriously scared of something- he was far too perceptive of the worry the adults held over him.  
“What’s wrong with the bath, Little Tune?” Colonello asked as he approached Lal and the child.  
There were some babbled answers that made little sense to the adults, but Tsuna was trying to wipe his tears away and was obviously really scared. “B-baf wiwl eat Tsuna!” he bawled as he buried his face in Lal’s hair as it tumbled down her shoulder.  
Both adults did a double take, neither were quite sure what the boy meant, but apparently something about the bath made it seem like a monster. Lal sighed with frustration as she walked Tsuna to the bathroom, Colonello hot on her tail.  
“Brat, the bath isn’t going to hurt you. Watch.” Lal sat him on the counter by the sink while Colonello held him.  
Sitting on the edge of the stand-alone bath, Lal leant over and turned the taps on, when the loud rushing water hit the basin of the tub Tsuna cried a little louder and covered his ears. Lal and Colonello gave each other sceptical looks but carried on anyway while giving Tsuna lots of comfort via a warm hand rubbing his back thoroughly.  
Once it was filled enough Lal turned off the tap. “Come on Kiddo. Time to wash.” Colonello set the child on the floor and stripped him down putting his clothes to the side to get washed. He handed the boy off to Lal and leant on the sink just watching for a moment.  
What neither was prepared for was the sheer struggle Tsuna would put up to stay out of the bath. He flailed around, sheer panic making his usually intermediate kicks a little stronger, he clung to Lal as if the earth was tilting and she was the only stable point. He kept screaming and crying until finally his babble made sense.  
“No! It hot!” he screeched as he grabbed anything to keep himself out of the bath. He pushed his little foot against the sides of the tub, crying, trying to tell him Mama and Papa why they shouldn’t put him in the tub.  
Colonello took a turn to look surprised as he raised his eyebrow. He crouched near Lal and dragged his hand through the water. For him it was cold, he liked a practically scalding bath- as did Lal- but he knew this temperature shouldn’t hurt Tsunayoshi. Did he get hurt by hot water before?  
“Tsuna,” he spoke softly as he leant up a little to run his wet hand alone Tsuna’s leg, showing the boy it wasn’t hot, “the water isn’t hot. I promise.”  
“Papa-Co pwomeses?”  
With a nod from his papa the boy finally settled down with a scared frown on his lips, one that crunched his little eyebrows together, and tears still clinging to his eyelashes.  
They finally had Tsunayoshi in the bath, the struggling and fearful screaming had died down enough that he was quietly contemplating whether the bath was safe or not, obviously assured that the water wouldn’t burn him. Then Lal did something unexpected. Grabbing a soap bottle she poured generous dollops of soap into the warm water before aggravating it and causing a mass of fluffy white bubbles to start to form.  
Lal smirked and started splashing Tsuna, bubbles flying everywhere as she laughed with him. “Come on, Brat.” She giggled softly –a scowl still on her face even if softer- “Is that all you got?”  
“Mama-Lal!” Tsuna practically screeched with laughter, “Stop, Tsu’s getting buboos everywhere!”  
Colonello sighed at the sight, it looked aggravated but he was so content with the image. He walked out of the room to get towels for Tsuna and Lal, but when he got back he couldn’t help but sigh again, this time with pure happiness. Lal was washing Tsuna gently while the boy played with the mass of bubbles surrounding his pale body and his lush chestnut hair.  
Colonello caught the warm, beautiful smile on Lal’s face. It wasn’t often she let herself feel, but when she did it was open and warm and totally unbridled. It was becoming increasingly common around young Tsunayoshi. The second most reason that Colonello insisted that they visit the lad so much.  
Reason three was because the boy was pretty much abandoned by his own family. Colonello had never personally met either Nana or Iemitsu, but that was probably for the best, because he would give the both of them a rather stern word about the treatment of their first born. But it was for the best he didn’t meet them, he wanted Tsuna to himself, even if he had to share the boy with people that wholly loved the boy.  
Reason one was the sheer joy the boy brought him, Colonello was pride filled and protective of - to the point that it rivalled even Reborn’s protectiveness- when the boy called him Papa. Colonello has the right to boast that he was only the fifth to be called so respectfully by the young child.

XXXX

He had met Tsunayoshi when the boy was only four months old. Luce had brought the boy to one of their Arcobaleno meetings –one Lal didn’t attend for this or that reason- having been asked by Nono to look after the child for the evening. It was fair to say he, Skull and Fon fell in love with the child, though Fon was more appreciative of the purity than ‘in love’ with the child at the time.  
Luce said it would do them well to care for Tsunayoshi, and they had him for the entire weekend to do so. Apparently Luce had met Tsuna not long after he was born, so the boy wasn’t so upset with the sudden disappearance of Nono and the others who lived in the mansion with him.  
The weekend was amazing, even if the boy was only small and could not do much more than goo and gaa with funny little expressions on his beautiful round face, Colonello found himself totally enthralled with caring for the child.  
Though he noticed the way the boy seemed already comfortable and trusting of them, strangers as they were. He had questioned Luce about this and the woman almost had a sad look in her eyes as she gazed at the brunet babe cuddling into Skull’s chest, almost sleeping.  
“He is incredibly pure, his intuition is strong and his flames will be powerful; I think he just knows that none of us will hurt him. We’re all strong, he knows this instinctually.”  
Of course that was met with some scoffs of ‘who won’t hurt the kid?’ and ‘I’m losing money, leave me out of it’ but Colonello could only grin, deciding he would steal the child from Skull and Fon and go play within him in the peace and quiet.  
From there he really hit it off with the kid, the child fed off of his powerful, energetic aura and Colonello fed off of the pure, innocent joy the child displayed. He knew, somehow, that Tsunayoshi would be perfect. He soon introduced Lal to the child, and to see the results sent his heart fluttering. After all, Lal was the only woman he truly loved. Watching the woman, scarred and stiff, play with the child as if he were her own, listening to the loving laughter of ‘Mama’ cooed from Tsunayoshi’s soft voice, well, Colonello couldn’t help but like the image.

XXXXX

When Lal reached for a towel and wrapped the boy up before cuddling him instinctively Colonello wrapped the second towel around Lal’s shoulders and wrapped his arms around her waist. She would normally have reacted violently to this with Tsuna in the room, but with the boy in her arms she could do nothing but flush and glower.  
Then he leant in and kissed her cheek, whispering softly in his husk voice. “I love ya’ Lal.”  
Tsuna looked on curiously as his Papa-Co smirked and his Mama-Lal blushed. He didn’t really understand why his Mama was blushing, people always kissed Tsuna and he didn’t get like that.  
“Papa! What did you do to Mama?” Tsuna asked with a small tilt of his little head.  
Colonello was shocked but smiled softly and kissed the boy’s cheek. “I kissed your Mama ‘cause I love her.” Colonello grinned at the boy and when he saw the warm smile he couldn’t help but feel proud.  
Then Tsunayoshi leant forward and pressed a soft, sloppy kiss to Lal’s exposed cheek as she was turned away to glare at Colonello. “Tsu’ loves Mama too!” He grinned, mirroring- almost- Colonello’s smile. Lal blushed darker and Colonello grinned more like a Cheshire than before.  
“That’s my boy!” He smirked.  
“Colonello!” Lal almost seethed. “What are you teaching the brat?”  
Of course Tsuna could only smile and cuddle his Mama as they walked into the living room of their little apartment. He was handed over to Colonello for drying and changing as Lal went to make some coffee- some milk for Tsuna- all the while grumbling about ‘stupid men’.  
As Colonello was finishing drying the young child off, Lal walked back with the drinks and as soon as she sat next to Colonello a wobbly, sleepy Tsunayoshi crawled onto her lap before settling himself comfortably in her arms with Colonello’s surrounding them both. Lal leant against Colonello, and he didn’t tease her this time, because it wasn’t often him and his ex-teacher got some quiet time- they got even fewer moments with Tsuna.  
Tsuna yawned quietly as the TV was flicked onto some news channel and asked his Mama and Papa when he’d get to have a bath again. Colonello and Lal couldn’t have been happier, because the way Nono had explained it those who tried to bathe Tsunayoshi ended up near exhausted and completely guilty from forcing the youngster to go into the ‘bad tub’.  
Both Colonello and Lal had heard some awful stories from Brow Nie Jr. about his experience trying to give Tsunayoshi a bath. Though Colonello joked that that may have been where the boy’s fear came from.  
“See, Tsuna, the bath isn’t so bad, kora!” Colonello smiled and ruffled the tyke’s spiky hair until it was even messier than it normally was. The boy laughed and tried to push away the offending hand, but seeing as Colonello was already retracting it, it didn’t matter much.  
“No Papa-Co!” Tsuna smiled brightly as he snuggled into his mama’s chest. “Tsuna loves the baf. Espesly wif Mama and Papa!”   
Colonello couldn’t help the light smile as he watched Lal blush lightly and Tsuna cuddle even more. Tsuna was beautiful and wonderful. He was kind and smart in his own way, and he had a gravity that could not be compared. Both Lal and Colonello looked on at him with totally loving, indulgent eyes. Yes, neither Lal nor Colonello were Tsunayoshi’s mother or father, but surely that didn’t matter, because both of them loved Tsuna like their own child and would do anything for him.

XXXX

“No Papa! You can’t leave! You’re not allowed!” Tsuna cried large, fearful, hurt tears. His first papa was leaving again. This time, his Nonno had told him it was for a long time. Tsuna didn’t like it.  
His papa told him he wouldn’t leave, his papa promised. Tsuna didn’t understand why his papa would lie to him. Lying was bad. That’s what Mama-Luce always told him.  
“Tsuna-trash what did I say about crying?” a deep voice greeted young Tsuna’s ears as a large hand descended to ruffle his untamed brunet hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Especially with Mama and Papa) -- That’s in case you didn’t understand little Tsuna at the end.  
> So I put in a little ColonelloxLal love. I think it would be adorable!!! (Hint would anyone like to draw that scene for me? XD) don’t you think so?  
> I want to thank you all again. Truly I never thought I could write anything fluffy. I love you all!! Thank you!!...  
> So... I think I made that hint a little too obvious... next chapter: “2 and a half years old: Separation anxiety and...”  
> Please review! Thank you all so very much! I love you.  
> ~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3


	4. 2 and a half years old: Separation anxiety and whiskey with Papa Xanxus and the Varia

After Nono, you’d be surprised to know, Xanxus and the Varia were the ones who met Tsuna. They hadn’t been there at the birth- too busy setting up their squad and completing their ceremonial assassination- but had been there for the first months of his life.  
Now, being a new squad they were too busy to take an active part in the child’s first months, but had caught glimpses –of the child and the whispers about him- to know what he looked like, and how frail he was.  
They had also heard of the vacation that the child’s parents were taking.  
Of course they weren’t necessarily interested in the child, but he was a potential heir and to the Varia that was a potential threat and a potential liability. For them it was enough to get their asses in gear and ‘scout’ the child while his blood was away.  
Though, they didn’t even have to get up to do that. Nono had asked them to his office, one week into the child’s time in his care, with a mission of utmost importance. They had reluctantly agreed- it wasn’t often the Don asked them to of a mission personally- they were nothing if not professional- but they only had a limited amount of time to scout the child and determine his worth and what kind of weakness the Vongola had just taken in.  
When they arrived at the office they were surprised to find the Don sitting at his desk, rocking a sleeping child who looked to have just woken up. He looked up, his aged eyes defensive and ready, before they softened and the group was beckoned in.  
“Xanxus, I need you and your crew to look after young Tsunayoshi for me for the week. There are some dons meeting with me and the child needs someone to look after him.”  
Of course Xanxus couldn’t have hidden his grin even if he wanted to. Sometimes things panned out too perfectly for him. He approached his dad and held out his arms. The Don before him smiled lightly and adjusted the snoozing boy into Xanxus’ arms and made sure his son knew what he was doing.  
The child was awkward as he held the weight of the baby, but soon enough an instinctive aura of possessiveness and blood-lust whipped around the room. It seemed, even Xanxus, Timoteo’s big, bad Varia-boss son was drawn into the child’s sheer purity.  
At that point, suddenly feeling the shift in aura and protectiveness sent Tsunayoshi’s eyes fluttering open. When he was greeted with betrayed, dark eyes he was startled, but then he felt the strong arms, heard the solid, strong heart beat and could sense the deep, even breathes of the chest he was pressed against. Something told the baby- unaware yet perceptive as he was- that this man would protect him.  
A beautiful smile lifted his lips and he reached for the feathers and furs that tumbled from Xanxus’ shoulder.  
“Oh!” Lussuria cooed, “Boss let me hold him, please?~” the man-woman practically begged, “I’ve never seen anything so cute.”  
Of course Xanxus handed him off, and the child proceeded to clap and giggle into he arms of each and every one of his squad members, immediately cementing himself into their hearts and the part of their minds reserved for ‘top priorities’.  
Xanxus couldn’t help but stare. He had intuition, not as hyper or pure as Vongola kin, but still a sharp, precise intuition that had saved him on more than one occasion. He knew, right there and then, that their lives were changed. For the better or worse he hadn’t figured out. But the feral smirk that took place on his lips was enough to get the rest of the guardians riled up. They hadn’t seen their boss this excited since Nono has agreed to let him make the Varia.  
“Sure we’ll look after the brat for you. Just can’t guarantee that he’ll be completely normal when he gets back.”  
For some reason, Nono didn’t look even half as worried as he should have at his son’s serious, dark words.

XXXXXXX

Form there the Varia took a large part of Tsunayoshi’s time from Timoteo, the old man didn’t really mind, it was nice to see his son take an interest in something that wasn’t with a means to an end; power, money, fame or the like.  
Still, it surprised the old man to see just how active a part all the members of the Varia were having. All of them, from Belphegor to Levi had their own private moments with Tsunayoshi and learnt, through Lussuria’s hands –because the man was a saint with children- how to feed, change, care for, hold and –in their own ways- love young Tsunayoshi.  
Timoteo had to chuckle, it wasn’t often you saw Bel running around the mansion grinning with a child on his hip; it was even less common to see his tiara on another’s head.  
The Varia members would all tell you a different story about why they were dealing with the child. Squalo for instance might say it was because his trashy-boss had dumped the child on him and he wasn’t insane enough to abandon a Vongola heir. Bel might just grin at you in that shit-eating way that terrified even Nono’s storm and laugh like he knew a joke you didn’t. Levi would say he was told to.  
Still, every single member of the Varia, having had weeks to get to know the child, was already convinced of a number of things;  
First: Iemitsu was a fucking idiot who they were glad was not ‘part of’ the Vongola. The child was a baby for Christ’s sake, and he had basically up and abandoned it while taking the mother away at the same time. The man was an idiot, they knew that, but now he was off the Varia’s radar. The Varia was loyal to their family, and anyone messing with or threatening that –in any means- had better make sure they were either fucking important or stayed a long fucking distance away.  
Second: they were completely, unmistakably and irreversibly tied to the child. They would cater to his every whim, train him, make sure he was safe, and ensure he was either Decimo, or grew strong enough to take the title for himself.  
Third: he was Varia Quality and they would ensure he remained that standard. Straight as fucking that.

XXXXX

Xanxus was lounging on the floor with a one year old Tsuna, the boy was propped up against pillows in Nono’s office, the old man had to run out and had snagged Xanxus practically by the collar and demanded- well not quite, Xanxus didn’t think the old man actually knew how to demand- that Xanxus watch Tsunayoshi for a moment. Xanxus wouldn’t say no, the brat didn’t’ cry often and all he had to do was watch the kid. He had been on his way to a nap any way.  
The boy was colouring happily, a picture that looked like a bunch of rather large mess of squiggles, but the boy seemed happy so Xanxus kept his vulgar mouth shut; he doubted Levi could do any better any way.  
Then the child stopped colouring and pinned Xanxus with one of his looks that made the teen adamant that the brat was a hundred years old. Not only was intelligence laced in the eyes, but also the tell-tale signs of being in HDW mode. Something the child hadn’t achieved bug had shown impossibly strong signs of possessing.  
“Xan, what papa?” was the stunted, somewhat understandable question that left form the child’s mouth. At one he was speaking, probably better than most, but it was still slurred, stuttered and babyish.  
“A papa? Fuck if I know. I’d say he’s the one that care for you, your closest family. Changing you, readin’ to you, making sure you’re fed; that kind of crap.” Xanxus mumbled, not really coherent enough to have any of the bravado he usually used around the brat. At nineteen Xanxus was foul-mouthed and easily annoyed, but he was still rather obedient and blunt. Of course he was a teenager and though he was intelligent he wasn’t exactly used to children, so his rather vague answer settled perfectly in Tsuna’s mind.  
There was a seriously contemplative look on the child’s round face; a silence overtook him as well as a strange stillness. “Reborn, Papa?”  
Xanxus froze for a moment, trying to figure out how the child got the mixed up idea that the bastard Hitman was his ‘papa’ but when Xanxus really let his mind think it over it wasn’t all that hard to come to as a conclusion. After all, everything Xanxus had said about papas seemed to translate perfectly into the Hitman’s actions.   
If Xanxus was quick to the chase when Tsunayoshi started crying, the Hitman was finished the race before the crying started. There was something inhuman about the Hitman’s bond with the brat; Xanxus loathed admitting it, but he had swells of rage when he thought about the man outdoing him yet again.  
“Papa?” Xanxus looked down quickly to see Tsunayoshi pointing at him. He raised one of his thick eyebrows in askance and the boy, as usual read the movement. “Papa-Xan?” he asked with the sheer innocence and love of a child who knew nothing but.  
Xanxus tried, he really did, but soon enough he was lying on his side next to the baby roaring with laughter. His mouth was hinged open as wide as his jaw would allow and he was actually in pain from laughing so hard. His stomach started ceasing just as tears gathered at his eyes, and Tsunayoshi could only look at him in confusion before clapping happily. His Papa-Xan was happy; he had obviously said something right.  
“Me, your papa? Get this through your infant skull trash, I am no one’s papa.” He sneered, still laughing at the idea of being the child’s ‘papa’ he could not be a parental figure. Leader of an assassination squad a papa? Even the thought sent more chuckled rattling his system.  
“Papa! Papa-Xan~!” the boy sang, he was clapping his hands and smiling with innocent, loving eyes. Xanxus had to sober, because it looked, for all intensive purposes, like Tsunayoshi seriously thought he was his papa.  
“Trash, I ain’t your papa.” He growled, but it seemed to have no affect on the boy. “Iemitsu’s your father fucking trash, it aint me. I’m not even old enough to have kids.” Again, no effect, the boy looked confused when the blond idiots name was mentioned.   
“Papa-Reborn!” Tsuna smiled, “Papa! Papa-Xan an’ Papa-Reborn!” he sang. The boy was obviously so very confused. But somehow Xanxus thought it was too amusing to truly correct.  
“Who are your papa’s trash?”  
“Papa!” the boy patted Xanxus’ face with total glee on his face.  
That gave him ideas, so many ideas. Scooping the brat up, a Cheshire grin making his lips spread across his face, Xanxus stalked towards the meeting in Nono’s office, he had been given the brat to look after, but this would be so much more interesting.  
Storming into the room and addressing the gathered, Xanxus could only smirk in satisfaction when everyone turned to him. “Guess what, fucking-trash?” when no one answered he continued, his grin only widening, “I got promoted. Tell ‘um brat.”  
“Papa-Xan?” the boy was confused, but just the one word was enough to get the reaction Xanxus was hoping for.  
Without even the slightest sound of shuffling, and with only the barest hint from his instincts because even they had been caught unprepared, Xanxus has to dodge the bullet that had been aimed squarely between his eyebrows. Now, Xanxus would never have pegged the Hitman as the possessive type. Too bad, it would have been so much fun had he known in the past years.  
“Fucking bastard. What have you been teaching him?” the Hitman seethed as he approached, gun still leveled with Xanxus’ head. “You are not his father.”  
“Damn-straight trash I ain’t this brat’s father.” He explained with a little indignation, did the man honestly think Xanxus an idiot. “I simply told him what a father was, and insinuations he made by ‘imself.” Xanxus huffed in reply.  
The only thing that would have made it better were if the brat had kept his god-damned mouth shit in the presence of the Hitman. “Papa-Reborn!” Tsuna giggled happily. He reached for the gun-toting man and Xanxus’ smirk fell a little. Well fuck, I guess I just lost my gloating rights. Fuck it, it was worth that look on the trash’s face. With that Tsuna was handed off to a shocked Reborn and Xanxus stalked back out of the room to find some whiskey and that damn Shark-trash of a right-hand of his. Time to go do some work he supposed, the damn brat was making him soft.  
“Bai Bai Papa-Xan!!”

XXXXXX

Xanxus was in the entry way of the Vongola mansion, he had hoped to sneak out of the building without attracting certain attention, but unfortunately the very individual he hoped to avoid had proven himself far more observing than any usual child. Tsunayoshi had almost sensed the Varia stalking the mansion and had immediately left his grandfather to find out where his Papa’s and Mama’s were going.   
Xanxus almost sighed with a mix of unease and fury when he spied the brat, wide-eyes and tears at the top of the stairs to the offices of the mansion. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid, unnecessary time and tears.  
He stopped himself for a moment, completely taken aback by his thoughts. Of course, he meant it in the way that he wanted this mission over with, the fucking trashy-brat crying at his legs simply made him have to wait longer and listen to a bunch of bitching from not only his father but a bunch of useless members of his own fucking squad.  
He rubbed his face with his hand, trying not to let the fury show. If Tsunayoshi knew he was aggravated he would only get noisier, clingier and then the whole fucking mansion would be on Xanxus’ ass for making ‘young master Tsuna’ cry.  
He was seriously getting old if before a mission had even started he was itching for his whiskey.  
Instead he could only glare at the child as he ran head-long down the sweeping stear cast straight into Xanxus’ legs where he clung for dear life. A growl actually penetrated his chest as he addressed the weeping child and ignored the potent stares from his guardians- some interested and most disapproving of the growl.  
“Brat let go. We need to get going on this mission; you’re already making us late.”

XXXX

“No Papa! You can’t leave! You’re not allowed!” Tsuna cried large, fearful, hurt tears. His first papa was leaving again. This time, his Nonno had told him it was for a long time. Tsuna didn’t like it.  
His papa told him he wouldn’t leave, his Papa promised. Tsuna didn’t understand why his Papa would lie to him. Lying was bad. That’s what Mama-Luce always told him.  
“Tsuna-trash what did I say about crying?” a deep voice greeted young Tsuna’s ears as a large hand descended to ruffle his untamed brunet hair.  
“Papa-Xanxus said not to! Papa-Xanxus sawd teaws isn’t Varia Quality.” Tsuna sobbed.   
Now the child couldn’t help it. Yes he was mafia. Yes he was raised and trained by some of the hardest, darkest men in the entire world. But Tsunayoshi was gentle, fragile and pure despite it all. Here was his first papa about to leave him again for some strange mission that to Tsunayoshi was not necessary. His one constant was about to leave. Tsuna was nothing if not protective. He would make his Papa stay if he was only doing this as a time-passer.  
“Brat. You know we cannot stay here with you all the time.” Xanxus divulged. That didn’t help Tsuna of course; his lip puffed out and tears made their way out of his darkening brown eyes.  
Tsuna was breathing shallowly as he tried to keep in his tears. It wasn’t Varia quality to cry. The sniffles started more brutally again, but soon enough Squalo had scooped him up having seen the look of annoyance on his boss’ face. Xanxus had no patience with anyone, the patience he had with Tsunayoshi could make his usual level look saintly, but even the unique child’s antics and his innocence could drive Xanxus to rage.  
The rest of the Varia simply had to learn to read the sign and protect the little heir. He was, after all, Varia quality and possible boss one day. If he could survive childhood under Xanxus and the Varia he would make Vongola great one day. The problem was getting him to live through childhood.  
“Voiiii!” Squalo called as Tsuna settled into his grip and sniffled into his hair, hiding behind the silver locks and clinging with arms wrapped tightly around Squalo’s neck. “What did we tell you? We need to do our job.”  
Tsuna sniffled and lifted his brown eyes from Squalo’s silver hair just enough to peak out at the brooding young man who looked on the verge of either a raging fit or folding to the little child’s whim. Xanxus did have a soft spot somewhere for Tsunayoshi after all.  
“Do you ‘ave to goo, Mama-Squ?” Tsuna asked, “Do you ‘ave to kill dis man?”  
Squalo sighed as he bounced the boy. Yes, he was mocked by the entire Varia- the entire fucking Vongola - for his effeminate mannerisms around Tsunayoshi. But a quick haircut a little too close to the scalp soon silenced them. Yes, he was Mama-Squ, but he was the best Fucking-Mama out there and he dared anyone with an attachment to their useless fucking excuses for lives to question him or say otherwise.  
“Ushishishishi.” A young boy, blonde hair, little tiara, all grins and long limps walks over to the frowning shark and the shaking boy with a somewhat concerned grin dropping his smile. “Little fishy, of course we have to kill the vermin.”  
Belphegor was only sixteen, but Tsunayoshi was his favourite target, his favourite little princess. The only one who took Bel serious when he was younger. He reached up and snagged the little kiddie from the shark’s arms and cuddled him tight. “But Bel-nii! Tsuna wants you awl to stay here!”  
“Little Tsu~ we need to do our job.” Lussuria cooed from the back of the group, the healer-fighter was fixing his hair in the mirror by the door. It never paid, after all, to look scruffy when smashing skulls in with your knees. It didn’t pay to look absolutely fabulous either, but no one needed to tell Lussuria that.  
“Brat.” Mammon appeared at that point, the mist curled around her body as she stepped out of it; she plucked the child from the young teen’s arms –despite his angry frown and threat of knives-and rested the boy on her hip, almost immediately he was calmed and soothed, his torrent of tears and sobs sniffled to near inexistence, only a hiccup here or there and a sniff told anyone that he had been bawling; even those were quiet. It may surprise many, but Tsunayoshi was soothed more by the illusionist than even his Mama-Luce. There was something about the illusionist, the promise that if something went wrong, or something was scary and new, she could make them disappear and make them safe that made Tsuna drawn to her during distress. It helped that she dished out the affection he wanted whenever he wanted it, though not in the morning, or when she was counting money- Tsuna learnt those the hard way. “You see all these people?” Tsuna nodded, “Well you want them safe right?” a more adamant nod. “Well the one we’re going to kill is after all the people you love.”  
Tsuna was silent for a moment, tears till in his eyes as his Mama rocked him. “There’s no other way, Mama-Mammon?”  
“No.”  
Tsuna nodded and cuddled into Mammon’s cloaks with the illusionist rocking ever so gently. The gathered members of the Independent Assassination Squad knew well not to comment, Mammon was like a fucking riled up mother bear when Tsunayoshi was in her arms. Apparently the boy made her money, and that was all she needed –as far as the Varia was concerned- to promise comfort and protection to the child where she could provide it.  
“Okay then, if there’s no other way.” Tsuna finally sighed, though it wasn’t a happy sigh.  
“Brat, stop annoying bossu. We’ll be fine.” Levi cared for the child, he wouldn’t kill him- his boss told him not to- but he also wouldn’t let him draw him in. He wouldn’t!  
“Levi!” Tsuna called out, he ran towards the towering lightning and clung to his legs, tearing up again because he knew he could manipulate Levi if he did- his Mama-Mammon had taught him that. “Wiwl you pwease look awfta everyone for Tsu? I wanna to go but Nonno told me no!”  
The man grumbled a little, leaning down to ruffle the tuft of brown hair at his knees. “You don’t need to ask me to do that, fucking-brat. I’ll protect boss anyway!”  
Tsuna pouted and smacked Levi’s knees before he chastised the lightning guardian. “Not just Papa! You need to protect everyone Levi!”  
The boy dropped down before the knives went soaring over his head, if Levi hadn’t backed up in surprise from being slapped he would have needed replacement knees; Bel was obviously aiming at him. Tsuna spun to Belphegor with a pout before having to flip back to avoid the sword that swiped down from above. He started giggling and yelling as the others went to attack him. He knew that they would never actually hit him; though those knives were closer than usual, probably because his Bel-nii wanted to hit Levi. Everything was close, but never close enough to do major damage if he wasn’t fast enough. His Papa, Mamas and siblings has been training him like that for years.  
“Vooooiiii! Do you think we need protection brat?!”  
“Ushishishishi. The prince doesn’t need protection from the useless pervert.”  
“Now, now Tsu~, Mama-Lus doesn’t need protection from this unfashionable Neanderthal. I’m far more refined.”  
Xanxus watched the brat dodge and flip with an expression of -outwardly-unattached observation on his scarred face, he knew the brat’s every move- or thought he did- because he trained most of them into him- as far as he was aware- so to see them perfectly executed, sweeping effortlessly one into the other, and flowing with grace made him internally prideful; as if he were Bester with a cub.  
Xanxus was the first to break Timoteo’s door down and demand- no Xanxus didn’t beg- the man to train Tsunayoshi. It wasn’t so much that Xanxus saw potential- though there was that too-, but he saw a little of himself in the child who had been abandoned by his parents. Xanxus saw a child thrust into something he wasn’t prepared for where great things were expected of him; but unlike him, Xanxus knew that Tsunayoshi was not hardened by a life on the streets or scum blood in his veins. Xanxus saw potential for two very different things when he saw Tsunayoshi.  
First was greatness. The brat had this gravity that pulled everyone in, it was the kind of pull that made you protect, follow, train and love the brat. The baby obviously didn’t know how to use it, it ran rampant and undirected, if it were honed the boy would have men bow to him without even a look, without even a god-dammed fuck given. Though, there was that inherent pureness that Xanxus knew would draw people in naturally anyway and would mean the boy didn’t make his subordinates bow to him with that intense gravity; Xanxus may not understand that kind of relationship boss-to-subordinate, but if it worked for the brat all the better.  
Second was destruction. The brat had the potential to be used, abused, and destroyed by the darkness and taint of the mafia life he was all of a sudden a part of. Without the parental care, the support and training from the mafia scum in his life he would be destroyed before his teens.  
Xanxus wasn’t a protective man, but he was loyal and opportunistic. If the brat was showing this much potential as a young, mouldable entity, well Xanxus would exploit it. Nono had declared Tsunayoshi an heir and Xanxus would make sure that heir was ready. No, he didn’t care about the trash-brat in any way.  
There was a tug on his trousers; he was broken from his thoughts when he looked down into determined, but still watery eyes. “Please, Papa.” The pure, resolute brat whispered, “Please can I have one hug before you go?”  
Xanxus sighed through his nose and uncrossed his arms. Throwing his guns back into their holsters he reached down and picked the young boy up. It was only natural to shift Tsunayoshi to rest against his hip and allow the child a moment of weakness to hide his face in the furs and feathers that decorated his shoulder and grip close to Xanxus with tight arms around his thick neck. One moment of weakness amongst a barrier of impossibly strong people would not kill the brat.  
“Please come home safe Papa.” Were the whispered, croaky words of the only child Xanxus would ever tolerate. “I don’t want you to come back injured again. There was too much blood last time.”  
He smirked a little, thought the Varia could see it was full of some kind of affection, and brought his free hand up to rub soothing circles along the child’s back. He leant his face towards the boy’s exposed ear to whisper his only answer to the child’s fears. “Of course, Tsunayoshi. We’re too strong for this weakling-trash anyway.”  
Tsuna was placed on the ground and Xanxus gave him a steely look, he brushed a hand through his hair in exasperation, because the trashy-brat still looked like he was about to keel over with worry. The brat was so god-damned fucking annoying sometimes. His hand hit his feather ornament and he had an idea. He plucked one of the larger feathers- one that Tsunayoshi had a fascination with ironically enough- and as he ruffled the brunet stack of hair he threaded the feather into the tresses.  
Tsuna looked up at him with confusion, awe, and love and Xanxus felt queasy for reasons he still didn’t completely understand even after four years. “Fucking-trash. You better look after that, ‘cause when I get back I expect it in perfect condition.”  
Tsuna didn’t know what to think, he knew he could not go to Xanxus for comfort and pity- no, Tsunayoshi had Mama Lus and Mammon for that- but he also knew that Xanxus cared for him in his own special way. Xanxus was trying to be comforting, Xanxus knew what joining and being a part of the mafia from a young age meant, he also knew how to give comfort and when.  
Tsuna nodded in understanding, because this was as close to comfort as he was going to get, and it was enough in a strangely Xanxus way.  
“Go show ‘em Vongola isn’t twash.” Tsuna smiled- even if he was still teary- as Xanxus and the rest backwards waved – a blow kiss form Lussuria, a cackle from Bel- and left for their newest mission.

XXXX

“Father, where are we going?” A young boy with shaggy hair and wide eyes looked up into his father’s cold eyes, but there was something warming the cool brown today.  
“We’re going to the Vongola estate son.” The man explained coolly as he gripped his young boy’s warm hand. “There’s someone you’re to meet.”  
“Meet?” the seven year old loved the Vongola estate, it was less lonely there, more children than his own home and the Nono was very kind to him even when his father wasn’t there. Though, he was confused, he didn’t really know who he was supposed to be meeting.   
Tilting his head, the young boy divulged his query to his father, hoping to get more of a clue. “You’re going to meet the young heir to Vongola’s throne.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you go! Who is coming next? I think this is too easy to guess again. Well, I love you all, because I was smiling through the whole process, because I am so excited to write this and see your opinions.  
> So Xanxus if the first papa, if only technically. XD  
> Thank you, thank you, thank you.  
> ~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3


	5. Five months old: Meet your little bro and protect him with Dino

“Son, I need you to go get yourself ready.” The voice was soothing and firm, fairly young but with heaviness set into it by duty. The young boy addressed looked up into his father’s brown eyes with a smile.  
“Of course, father. Should I get Romario and Enzo too?” the seven years old stood from his desk and walked clumsily over to his papa. His shining blonde hair sat shaggy but well kept and his green eyes glimmered in interest.  
“You can bring Romario, but I don’t want Enzo getting into trouble again.” His father sighed as he ruffled his don’t hair. “Now don’t give me that look Dino. You know what happened last time!”  
“But Papa!” Dino’s father had to laugh at the pout, his son only called his Papa in private when he wanted something, “It wasn’t my fault that it started raining when I was playing with Squalo!”  
The mafia Don couldn’t help but laugh again and push his child towards the bathroom to get changed. He was covered in markers from colouring and where they were going he needed to look at least a little presentable. “No Enzo, your fault or not, the person we’re going to meet isn’t able to defend themselves against him if anything does happen yet.”  
As Dino was shut into the bathroom he could only wonder to himself who exactly he was going to see. No one he knew was so weak that they couldn’t stop Enzo. He shrugged his shoulders as he turned the shower on, he would find out sooner or later. For now it was probably a good idea to change like his father had asked.  
As young Dino exited the bathroom his aide Romario was waiting for him. Romario was a young man of sixteen; he had been raised by his father to be Dino’s aide, as his father was Don Cavallone’s aide. At first the tall, black-haired teen had not wanted anything to do with the young boy, but soon enough the blonde-haired baby had wormed its way into his heart and Romario had not looked back once.  
“Young master, are you ready to get dressed? I have your clothes prepared for you here.” The young man stepped to the side slightly to reveal some grey slacks with green suspenders, and a comfortable white dress-shirt; Dino’s favourite.  
Dino nodded and walked towards the clothes, almost tripping on his own feet in the process. Romario tried to conceal his laughter as he stepped out of the room to give his young master privacy. There was one thing that really endeared Dino to his heart, and that was the child’s clumsiness and determination. The boy hated being clumsy, but unless Romario was around during a serious situation it seemed that there really was nothing that could be done; but Dino tried his best, and that really was more endearing than anything Romario had seen in any other heir.  
The door to Dino’s bedroom opened and the young boy stepped out, his hair was a mess and he had missed a button while dressing, chuckling softly Romario knelt down to fix the shirt and suspenders, but decided to leave the mop of blonde hair as it was, there was something fitting about the ruffled look.  
“Are you ready to go, young master?”  
“Where are we going, Romario?” Dino asked as he reached up to grab the teen’s hand, Romario smiled and looked at his ward with warm eyes.  
“I think that’s something your father will answer for you.”  
As they approached the door, Romario helped Dino into his long jacket. The coat reached the boy’s knees, was khaki in colour and had a hood with a furred rim. It was bought by Dino’s mother who was currently in bed, ill.  
Don Cavallone nodded to his aide and Romario before making his way towards the car, it was still a bit breeze, even though it was march, so he made haste to get his son into the warm car before he has the chance to get a cold; knowing the boy’s luck he would. Romario and his father followed closely after, sliding into the front of the car while their master’s slid into the back.  
“Father, where are we going?” A young boy with shaggy hair and wide eyes looked up into his father’s cold eyes, but there was something warming the cool brown today.   
“We’re going to the Vongola estate son.” The man explained coolly as he gripped his young boy’s warm hand. “There’s someone you’re to meet.”  
“Meet?” the seven years old loved the Vongola estate, it was less lonely there, more children than his own home and the Nono was very kind to him even when his father wasn’t there. Though, he was confused, he didn’t really know who he was supposed to be meeting.   
Tilting his head, the young boy divulged his query to his father, hoping to get more of a clue. “You’re going to meet the young heir to Vongola’s throne.”

XXXXX

As the Cavallone convoy reached the mansion of Vongola, Dino was once again amazed by the sheer size of the grounds. He had always believed that his father’s mansion and his famiglia was the biggest, richest famiglia in all of Italy, his childish mind could imagine nothing bigger, grander or more amazing than his own home and the place his Papa owned. Then they visited the Vongola mansion when he was five. From that day onwards Dino truly understood what rich and powerful meant. Even now at seven, for young Dino, powerful was synonymous with Vongola Famiglia.  
Dino and his father were escorted through the mansion, and Dino was greeted and smiled in reply to the maids and butlers throughout the mansion. He was one of the frequent visitors and so he knew most of the staff by face- not by name, his memory was usually rather bad- so as he passed by they would smile and greet him.  
“I guess young Dino is going to meet Young Master Tsunayoshi.”  
“Ah, they will sure make a wonderful pair.”  
“I imagine Young master’s guardians are going to be rather tense all day.”  
“Maybe we should put more coffee on?”  
“Should we warn young Dino?”  
“No one would harm him, he’ll learn about Tsunayoshi soon enough.”  
Dino listened with interest as the maids and butlers fluttered around the mansion. While it was always busy in the Vongola mansion, Dino had never seen everyone quite so excited and, if he had to name the emotions, happy. Don Vongola was not so strict as to make the mansion gloomy and dangerous, but they were a Mafia famiglia, so happiness as an emotion was generally a visitor in the mansion few and far times in between the other emotions. Dino was more than curious as to why the sudden change. And who exactly was Tsunayoshi?  
“Papa, who is Tsunayoshi?” Don Cavallone looked down at his son with a quirked eyebrow, unsure of exactly how to explain the situation to his seven years old son.  
“Tsunayoshi is Timoteo’s grandson and fourth heir to Decimo’s title.” Dino looked up to their guide, an after a moment realised it was Don Vongola’s Lightning guardian.  
“G-good afternoon Ganauche sir.” Dino stuttered as he realised his mistake for not recognising and greeting the man before.  
The young man laughed happily before ruffling Dino’s hair. “Ganauche is fine little man, I’m not even old enough to be your father, calling me sir makes me feel old.”  
Dino smiled in reply as they continued on wards, his mind was too preoccupied with Ganauche’s words. The person he was going to see much be something if he was fourth in line to be Decimo, after all that mean that he was above one of Timoteo’s own sons. However, Dino’s mind wandered away from those thoughts when a black and orange fedora entered his vision.  
“Reborn!” Dino grinned as he ran into the legs of Vongola’s assassin, it wasn’t often that Dino got to see Reborn, seeing as his tutoring didn’t start for another few years, but he did enjoy Reborn’s presence. He felt safe when Reborn was around.  
“Lookie here, it’s Dame-Dino.” Despite the teasing in his tone Reborn has a small smile on his lips.  
“Is this going to be your student, Kora?”  
Dino looked up to see a blonde soldier with a large gun strapped across his back, while most children would shy away from a gun, Dino was curious as to why he barrel was so long, it seemed rather impractical.  
“That’s right idiot, it’s nice to know you actually listen.” The raven haired assassin smirked. “I will train him until Tsunayoshi is of age. Not that he won’t be trained before that.”   
Pouting and gripping Reborn’s leg a little tighter, Dino glared up at his tutor-to-be. “Who is Tsunayoshi, Reborn? Everyone had been talking about him but no one will tell me who he is.” Dino’s tone was moaney and whiney and even Colonello could see Reborn’s patience waning.  
“Stop whining, Dame-Dino, you’ll meet Tsuna soon enough.” Reborn crossed his arms and tapped his left foot, signalling that Dino better release the leg soon.  
“Dino, right, Kora?” Colonello asked as he stooped to the child’s level, “Tsunayoshi is the new Heir, he’s the most adorable little baby out there, and he’s going to make something of himself one day. Kora!”  
Before Colonello could continue he was punched in the head by an irate Reborn. “Don’t go teaching the brat things you don’t know yet. Tsuna’s only five months old, how the hell do you know if he’s going ‘to make something of himself one day’ idiot?!”  
Dino didn’t really listen any longer, because in the corner of his eyes he spotted his father and Romario gesturing them to follow. As he grabbed his father’s hand he was lead into the room where most of the Don’s meeting were gathered.

XXXXX

Finally Dino was able to get a proper look at the child everyone was talking about, so many strong people cooed and praised about him, but Dino wasn’t sure. It was only a baby after all. No one could know what he was going to be like, or if he was going to be strong. But even Reborn hadn’t completely denied that the child was worthy, after all Reborn said that he would be training Tsunayoshi after Dino.  
Dino’s father pushed him forward towards Don Vongola, as the presence of the strong adults registered to him, young Dino became nervous. His clumsiness came forward- even with Romario only a few feet away- and he tripped as he stopped before the sitting old man.  
“G-good afternoon, Don Vongola.” Dino tripped out as he wrung his shirt hem. “It’s nice to see you again.”  
The aged man smiled kindly at the shaking youth, understanding what he was feeling. Timoteo enjoyed sitting with Tsunayoshi, not only because the boy was so gentle and without fuss, but because when he held Tsunayoshi in his arms –and if other people were with them in the room- an impenetrable aura of protectiveness and strength surrounded him. He felt invincible surrounded by those who love Tsunayoshi, and he had only been there a few months.  
“Good afternoon, young Cavallone. I think you’re here to meet someone, aren’t you?” Dino could only nod at the Don’s words as he sat up and forward.  
Dino took careful steps forward, looking into Timoteo’s arms as the man showed the child that everyone was fussing over. Dino felt his breath hitch in his throat when large, open eyes met his own. The brown in the baby’s hue was so much deeper and richer than his own brown-green. It was pretty, Dino had to confess.  
“This is Tsunayoshi, Dino.” His father supplied to his son as a smile reached his lips; he had never seen the boy so dumbfounded. “He is going to be your ‘little brother’.” The man finished.  
“My... little brother?”  
Don Vongola looked over the scene of fatherly affection with pity and awe. His little Tsunayoshi was going to miss out on it because his own father was reckless and ignorant. But Timoteo couldn’t really bring himself to mind too much, because Tsunayoshi was going to get so much more.  
“Dino, I want you to be there for Tsuna when he grows up. His parents aren’t home all the time and I want someone to help look after him. Could you do that? Could you be dear Tsunayoshi’s big brother?”  
“You want me... to be his big brother?” Dino questioned unsure he had heard right. When the adults nodded at his question- and the others watching the scene grew tense- Dino looked back down at the baby who was waiting quietly in his grandpa’s arms.   
Dino was Italian through and through. He had been raised on Italian customs and his father’s beliefs and one belief that was prised in his childhood above all others was that family came before everything else. Vongola and Cavallone were both large mafia famiglia who continued by the blood-rite tradition and kept the famiglia’s within the family until neither could be distinguished from the other. This kept them strong, private and also comfortable. Combined with the fact that Italians regarded family as near sacred anyway, Dino knew that he wasn’t just being asked to be a friend to Tsunayoshi or an occasional flick through an information dictionary. Combined with the fact that they were Mafia, Dino would need to keep Tsuna sheltered enough not to crack but aware enough not to be fooled and taken advantage of. What his father and Timoteo were asking of him was to become literal blood family to the infant. It wasn’t asked lightly, and it meant pure responsibility over the child.   
Dino would have to go out of his way to see Tsunayoshi as he grew, he’d have to train- not extensively but occasionally- with him and heal his wounds. He’d have to make sure he didn’t lead him astray and shows Tsunayoshi what was right and wrong, and what was truly important in life. He had to be everything that Tsuna’s parents were supposed to be but in a kinder, more open kind of way. He had to be a large part of Tsunayoshi’s scaffolding through his whole life.   
It was a tall order, something not to be taken lightly.  
“C-could I hold him, please?”  
Timoteo and Don Cavallone could only smile and sit Dino down, they positioned his arms and slid the silent Tsunayoshi comfortable within his arms. The child was surprised by the weight and lent the baby into his lap to help him. When Dino’s father was sure that Tsunayoshi wouldn’t be dropped he withdrew his hands and let Dino have some time with the baby.  
The two Don’s began talking about the other duties they had gotten together to discuss while the surrounding audience settled into their own conversations, happy that Dino’s clumsiness wouldn’t endanger the young heir in his arms.  
“Dino-sama, how do you like young Tsunayoshi?”  
Dino had been so absorbed in staring at the curious baby that he hadn’t heard his aid walk up behind him. When he looked up, his teenage escort could only smile at the child’s confusion.  
“Romario, why is he just staring?” Romario laughed at the simply question, and looking quickly to Don Cavallone for permission, he sat at Dino’s side.  
“He is but a baby, Dino-sama, which means that he doesn’t judge people like you or I. He can’t speak to question you, and can’t listen to understand your motives, he had to observe thoroughly and feel you aura. He is only quiet because he is still seeing if he can trust you or not.”  
“Why wouldn’t he trust me?” Dino actually looked sad to think that the baby wouldn’t trust him. He hadn’t done anything yet to make the child think he was a danger.  
Romario thought on that for a moment, he didn’t want to offend the baby or his boss-to-be. “Think about how defenceless young Tsunayoshi-sama is, Dino-sama. He can’t feed, or look after himself yet and he relies on all of these people to do that for him. While you haven’t done anything to say you’ll hurt him, he can’t be sure you’ll help him either.”  
Dino looked away from his aid for a moment and instead looked down into the big eyes of the child still assessing him. Dino smiled and gripped the baby a little tighter as he shifted his grip. He bounced the baby a little, trying to get him to smile or react.  
“I won’t hurt you lil’ Tuna!” Dino grinned. “I promise I won’t!” his words were heartfelt, and even Romario and the gathered people couldn’t help the contented smiles that filtered onto their lips.  
As the baby looked up at him with trust and love, reaching out and gurgling happily in his arm, Dino was drawn in immediately, happy to think he could be there for the little baby. He finally understood why the adults spoke so much about the Vongola heir, because even if he didn’t become a mafia boss, even if one of his ‘cousins’ because the official Vongola Decimo, this young boy, Tsunayoshi, was going to be an amazing addition to the famiglia.  
“Welcome to the family, lil’ bro! I’m going to be your big brother from now on!” Leaning down to kiss the boy’s forehead, Dino whispered happily to him, a large smile on his own lips. “I promise to always teach and protect you, lil’ bro.”

XXXXX

“Hush now, what did I say about crying, Tsuna?” The voice was heavy and calm; there was affection in the tone even if it was hidden behind a bravado that not many could see through.  
The man was sitting in a dark, baby’s room in a rocking chair that overlooked the balcony. Soft moonlight was cast across his legs as he rocked a fussing child. The child was only four months old, but he trusted the man who held him more than anyone else.  
As the man rocked he hummed in his deep voice, the song was pretty, a lullaby from his own childhood, the Mafioso would never have imagined he’d be singing the song to anyone else, but he was so glad that he could sing it to Tsuna.  
As the baby calmed from his fussing he opened his large brown eyes and hiccupped, he had woken to the dark room without his nightlight and hadn’t been able to see the one who had put him to bed. Terrified and tired he had cried, knowing someone would arrive soon, as usual, the man rocking him in the chair had appeared even before the third scream had left his lips.  
Smiling up at the shadowed face, Tsuna gurgled and reached towards the gun holder strapped to the man’s chest, under his arm. A small smile lifted Tsuna’s lips as he listened to the humming and was slowly dragged back into sleep. The man leant down when the eyes slid shut and placed a small kiss on his little forehead.   
“That’s better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I understand that this didn’t really have much interaction between Dino and Tsuna, but Tsuna is five months old, there isn’t much he can actually do... don’t worry there will be more in the future with Dino and an older Tsuna. Don’t worry!!!  
> So who is next? XD I’m a little vague... but here’s the title of the next chapter!!: Four months old: lullabies and Gun shots with...  
> Please review, and thank you for reading!!  
> ~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3


	6. Four months old: lullabies and Gun shots with Papa Reborn

“Hush now, what did I say about crying, Tsuna?” The voice was heavy and calm; there was affection in the tone even if it was hidden behind a bravado that not many could see through.  
The man was sitting in a dark, baby’s room in a rocking chair that overlooked the balcony. Soft moonlight was cast across his legs as he rocked a fussing child. The child was only four months old, but he trusted the man who held him more than anyone else.  
As the man rocked he hummed in his deep voice, the song was pretty, a lullaby from his own childhood, the Mafioso would never have imagined he’d be singing the song to anyone else, but he was so glad that he could sing it to Tsuna.  
As the baby calmed from his fussing he opened his large brown eyes and hiccupped, he had woken to the dark room without his nightlight and hadn’t been able to see the one who had put him to bed. Terrified and tired he had cried, knowing someone would arrive soon, as usual, the man rocking him in the chair had appeared even before the third scream had left his lips.  
Smiling up at the shadowed face, Tsuna gurgled and reached towards the gun holder strapped to the man’s chest, under his arm. A small smile lifted Tsuna’s lips as he listened to the humming and was slowly dragged back into sleep. The man leant down when the eyes slid shut and placed a small kiss on his little forehead.   
“That’s better.”  
Reborn continued to rock the child for a long while; he knew that the baby was asleep, of anyone who cared for young Tsunayoshi it was Reborn who would know the child’s every motion and every little quirk. It was Reborn, after all, who cared for him the most, who was there when he cried first, and who was the guardian over Tsuna’s crib when darkness descended.  
Rocking gently, the double doors that lead out onto the balcony open to let in a gentle breeze, Reborn let the Italian lullaby drift past his lips in that deep, soothing voice of his. He was, well he had no other word for it but comfortable. He was comfortable with Tsuna, sitting in the little room, singing soft songs and protecting the abandoned child. he never thought he would be, but holding the innocence that depended on him made Reborn feel more human than he’d felt in a long time.  
Without realising it Reborn had stopped singing, he continued to rock the well-oiled rocking chair, but his melodious voice paused in the middle of the gentle song. Dark eyes looked out onto the balcony where moonlight spilt across the marble like snow; Reborn smiled in spite of himself and allowed himself to imagine what the young ward in his arms would be like in the years to come.  
Tsuna fussed in his arms, sniffling before whimpering softly. Tsuna was never extremely fussy, only screeching in that childish way when he was alone and frightened, when he was with someone he trusted- Reborn and Xanxus especially- he would whimper for comfort and sniffle for attention. He was a rather demanding child, in his own way.  
Dark eyes swiveled down to the baby wrapped in orange blankets with an amused-exasperated smirk on tilted lips. “You’re going to be quite a trouble-maker, aren’t you, Tsuna?”  
But despite those words Reborn wasn’t annoyed nor worried, he could already feel it- had been there to see the child react to Vongola Timoteo- the boy had flames as big and harmonising as the Earth’s gentle shift into each season. Nothing Reborn had ever seen compared to the harmonising quality of Tsuna’s flames. For them to call out even to Reborn’s hidden, shielded rays of yellow proved that the boy would be unstoppable as an earthquake and as gentle as a feather’s kiss.  
The boy would be beautiful and worth any kind of trouble he made.

XXXXX

Tsuna’s wide eyes followed Reborn as he walked around, being stuck in his soft-crib wasn’t any fun, and he was really curious. At just over a year Tsuna spent a lot of time with Reborn, and the man had a foldable crib-playpen in the closet just for Tsuna.   
Noticing the staring Reborn paused in his pacing to lift the child to his chest. Settling the baby on his hip, Reborn’s critical eyes observed the child. Tsunayoshi’s brown eyes blinked at Reborn happily before trailing up to his fedora, and Reborn understood exactly what Tsuna had been starting at.  
Reaching for his partner, Reborn held his hand out to Tsunayoshi and allowed the baby and animal to meet for the first real time.  
“This is Leon, Tsuna. Leon is my partner.”  
Tsunayoshi seemed to contemplate that in his baby way, a small hand reaching out to stroke the green thing with gentleness unnatural to most babies. Leon leant into the touch, feeling naturally at ease as her partner smiled and coaxed the baby into a similar level of comfort.  
Feeling generous and calm, Leon allowed her tongue to flick out and miss the infant’s hand gently, she would have smiled in happiness at the received laughing-squeal of joy that left the baby’s mouth from her action if she could have.  
“’eon, Papa! ‘eon!”  
Reborn chuckled deeply as he swayed with Tsuna in his arms. “Very good, dame-Tsuna. This is Leon.”

XXXXXXX

Reborn was a man of sentiment, not many people knew this, but he was. Little things truly brought the warmest feeling to his heart, and sometimes, the simplest actions of appreciation and love meant the most.  
Tsuna would never know it, because Reborn would never in a thousand years tell him, but when he called Reborn ‘Papa’ for the first time, when Tsuna clapped happily in his arms and smiled warmly at him- when Tsunayoshi trusted him- Reborn never felt so much love for anyone else.  
Reborn’s greatest achievement and most prideful moment was being called Papa by Tsuna. The boy, as he would be even before Dino, was Reborn’s one and only son. The child, so young and innocent and pure was the only thing Reborn always wished for, someone to love him unconditionally and someone he could protect with no bias or boundary.  
Yes, Tsuna was young and could do nothing for himself right now, but that didn’t matter to Reborn, because that was what babies were. They were clean slates waiting for guidance and care, Reborn was a Spartan tutor, who got the job done, but his wards were his pride and he never tainted or damaged such a powerful cause.  
“I’ll make sure you grow up to be a strong, and I’ll keep you safe from any and everything.” Reborn’s deep tenor hummed to the two year old Tsunayoshi.  
It had been a long day, from painting and training to teaching Tsuna Japanese, Reborn had been on the move practically all day; he didn’t mind but he was tired. Usually he did not condone naps, they were a waste of time, but when he had Tsunayoshi for a day he finally saw the brilliance of even a half-hour power nap.  
Sheer genius.  
So that was where they were, Reborn had noticed Tsuna flagging during their second hour of Japanese and when he turned his eyes to the time he was relieved to find it was Tsuna’s afternoon nap. Snagging the child from the table Reborn cuddled him close to his chest, humming and rocking as if the child were younger than he was. Everyone thought the boy younger, given his size and some mannerisms.  
“Papa, I’m not tiwred.” Tsuna had tried to defend, though with half-lidded eyes and yawns singing from his lips Reborn had his doubts.  
“Whatever you say, Dame-Tsuna.” Ignoring his charge’s moan of rebuke, Reborn settled himself onto his bed with Tsuna lying peacefully across his chest and abdomen. The Hitman flicked the TV onto some news channel for background noise and made sure Tsuna was comfortable and secure.  
With Tsuna drifting, but not sleeping, Reborn chuckled and began humming the soft, deep lullaby that seemed to have been ingrained as naturally soothing into Tsuna from his infancy. As his chest vibrated and that rumbling sound reverberated through Tsuna, Reborn only just caught the soft, sighed words that drifted from the sleepy toddler’s lips.  
“Love my Papa.”

XXXXXXX

Reborn had just come back from a rather tense meeting with the other Arcobaleno, they were discussing the enigma that was Checker-face and the various things they needed to put into place to detain and investigate the man.  
The only problem then was that none of them could agree upon anything. Fon wanted a passive-aggressive approach, Colonello wanted a clean hit- over and done with- Lal agreeing with him to a point, Luche simply rubbed her stomach with unease, she was heavily pregnant and Reborn could see the stress getting to her.  
He of course could see that no one wanted to really act upon anything. Checker-face had been quiet up until then, he hadn’t chased them or offered any kind of deal since he first appeared five years ago. Of course, Reborn was a strong believer in Murphy’s Law. He would not make a decision until all his cards were dealt and his win was assured.  
One of the rare things that he and Mammon could agree on.  
That and the care and safety of one young child.  
Sighing angrily Reborn diverted his route from Tsunayoshi’s classroom- the boy should be learning geography from one Brow Nie Jr. at that time- and instead stalked towards the firing range, Leon already comfortably situated in his pale hand.  
It did neither him, not Tsunayoshi’s kind heart any good if they spent the day together with Reborn tense and angry. Tsuna usually took it as his fault that Reborn was angry, last time the boy had been crying with a Sippy-cup of coffee in his hands blabbering about being sorry –for making Reborn mad, for not being allowed to carry coffee in a mug- and Reborn couldn’t help but let an honest to god smile flick at his lips at the memory. Tsuna was too considerate and adorable at times.  
As he arrived at the emptied firing range Reborn let himself fall into the rhythm of load, fire, reload, fire and allowed himself to fire off spinning round after round until his hand actually numbed from the softened recoil of his customary gun.  
Sighing to himself Reborn allowed Leon back onto his fedora before running a hand through his untamed hair. His fedora was sitting on the firing table and as his fingers left his hair, Reborn pulled the ear plugs out of his ears. Okay, he admitted it, it was rather childish to let out his frustrations on the target and Leon, but it was his way and people better damn well stay out of his way and let him release his damned frustration!  
Replacing his fedora- sleeping Leon and all- Reborn turned towards the exit of the firing range, however he paused when he spied a concerned looking brunet peering into the plexiglass observation window; when Tsuna had arrived Reborn didn’t know.  
“Papa! I’m glad you’re back!” Tsuna chirped as Reborn entered the waiting lounge. He ran up to his Papa and clung to the black-trouser legs, looking up into dark eyes with a radiant smile Tsuna welcomed Reborn home.  
Reborn reached down and settled Tsuna comfortably onto his hip, smiling and asking Tsuna about his day Reborn settled into their usual routine. But suddenly Tuna physically turned Reborn’s head to face his, startled and curious Reborn complied.  
He soon found his and his ward’s foreheads placed together and Tsuna’s deep, golden-brown eyes staring into his.  
“Papa, you don’t need to be fwustered.” Tsuna babbled in a moment of pure seriousness.  
Reborn’s eyes widened, Tsuna was intuitive- pure Hyper-Intuition running in his veins- but to be read so easily by the child startled even the great Hitman Reborn.  
“I love Papa-Reborn, and I always will love Papa with my everything.”  
Reborn’s face broke into a warm, unguarded smile, he leant forward- ignoring his Fedora shifting and revealing his face- to place a loving, exuberant kiss to Tsunayoshi’s forehead.  
“And I love you more, Tsuna.”

XXXXXXX

A two year old Tsuna stood to the side of the entrance hall as the members of the Varia made their way into the grand foyer and towards the medical bay, Xanxus breaking off from the crowd to shuffle off to his father’s office and report in.  
It was like normal, Tsuna had heard news that the Varia were returning home from one of their longer missions and had immediately run off towards the entrance hall to greet them; just like normal. He didn’t pay attention to the panic or unease in the maid’s and butler’s voices as they spoke of the squad’s arrival home- his Papas, Mamas and Brother were home that was all that mattered to Tsuna.  
When Tsuna had arrived at the foyer, expecting to run and tackle Papa-Xan in a hug, be scooped up by Mama-Luss and Mama-Mammon, and be able to sneak Bel-nii’s crown away the little boy was shocked into silence when his family appeared, limping and tattered in the entrance way. They were covered in red and black, their clothes were tarnished and their faces grim. They walked funny too, and Tsuna was immediately assaulted with a scent that wasn’t like death (usually meaning success), but wasn’t like life (a scent that hung around everyone when they didn’t go on a mission). He found himself shaking despite himself, and though he didn’t really understand the feeling, his body was telling him to get away from the red yet investigate it.  
Shuffling appeared at his side and Tsunayoshi’s wide, curious eyes met with a deep, dark brown. The man was tall and wide, his hair was a tousled red- a deep red closer to brown then ginger- and his shoulders were wide set. He had a caring smile, if not a rather stern and scary face. But he was charismatic and loyal, even to the child at his feet.  
“Fratello, whas dat awl ova my Mamas an’ Papa?”  
Dark eyes looked up to the precession of scowling Varia members, running a wide, scarred hand through his already messy hair the man turned to answer the ever-curious child’s question.  
“That, little Tsunayoshi is blood. The Varia was injured during their last mission.”  
“In-jud?” the young boy tried to mimic.  
“Yes, that is blood Tsunayoshi, it means that they were hurt and they were defeated.”  
Tsuna didn’t really understand that ‘defeated’, he had never seen so much red and had never seen his family look so broken. Tsunayoshi did understand hurt; like when he scraped his knee; like when he fell over and winded himself. That Tsunayoshi understood.  
“I dun like it.”  
The man sighed and lifted the young boy into his arms, he knew the shock of watching an assassination gone wrong- it was usually a messy affair to bring the hit back into your favour- Tsunayoshi was a little younger than they had expected, but for the family it was time he learnt.  
“No, but you need to accept it. Let’s go find your Papa, huh?”  
Tsuna could only cuddle into the older man’s neck, unsure of what he had seen and what it meant for the future. All he knew was that his Papa-Xan was covered in red- blood- and it meant he was very hurt.   
No, Tsuna didn’t like that at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there was your little hint for the next chapter... now you may or may not be able to guess who that character interacting with Tsuna is, that could be because he isn’t really ‘well explored’ in the Manga, or because I’m not very good at description... so have a guess, here’s the title; Two years old: Blood, injury and training; This is..... Have fun guessing XD  
> I’m sorry this is so late, things have... happened that were beyond my control and I just let this slide... not to mention how much everyone has been looking forward to Papa!Reborn, I didn’t want to disappoint anyone... anyway...  
> So I’ve simply decided to make many Papa!Reborn chapters, because there is too much fluff to be had with Papa!Reborn!  
> Thank you for reading! Please review!!  
> ~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3


	7. Two years old: Blood, injury and training; This is your family.

The Varia was pissed.  
Pissed didn’t even cover the sheer annoyance they felt at the failure of a mission.  
The fact that they didn’t know why it failed only proved to aggravate them more.  
So distracted were the moping, injured Varia members that not one of them noticed the shadow appear through the left-hand side entrance to the mansion.  
A two year old Tsuna stood to the side of the entrance hall as the members of the Varia made their way into the grand foyer and towards the medical bay, Xanxus breaking off from the crowd to shuffle off to his father’s office and report in.  
It was like normal, Tsuna had heard news that the Varia were returning home from one of their longer missions and had immediately run off towards the entrance hall to greet them; just like normal. He didn’t pay attention to the panic or unease in the maid’s and butler’s voices as they spoke of the squad’s arrival home- his Papas, Mamas and Brother were home that was all that mattered to Tsuna.  
When Tsuna had arrived at the foyer, expecting to run and tackle Papa-Xan in a hug, be scooped up by Mama-Luss and Mama-Mammon, and be able to sneak Bel-nii’s crown away the little boy was shocked into silence when his family appeared, limping and tattered in the entrance way. They were covered in red and black, their clothes were tarnished and their faces grim. They walked funny too, and Tsuna was immediately assaulted with a scent that wasn’t like death (usually meaning success), but wasn’t like life (a scent that hung around everyone when they didn’t go on a mission). He found himself shaking despite himself, and though he didn’t really understand the feeling, his body was telling him to get away from the red yet investigate it.  
Shuffling appeared at his side and Tsunayoshi’s wide, curious eyes met with a deep, dark brown. The man was tall and wide, his hair was a tousled red- a deep red closer to brown then ginger- and his shoulders were wide set. He had a caring smile, if not a rather stern and scary face. But he was charismatic and loyal, even to the child at his feet.  
“Fratello, what’s tha’ awl ova my Mamas an’ Papa?”  
Dark eyes looked up to the precession of scowling Varia members, running a wide, scarred hand through his already messy hair the man turned to answer the ever-curious child’s question.  
“That, little Tsunayoshi is blood. The Varia was injured during their last mission.”  
“In-jud?” the young boy tried to mimic.  
“Yes, that is blood Tsunayoshi, it means that they were hurt and they were defeated.”  
Tsuna didn’t really understand that ‘defeated’, he had never seen so much red and had never seen his family look so broken. Tsunayoshi did understand hurt; like when he scraped his knee; like when he fell over and winded himself. That Tsunayoshi understood.  
“I dun like it.”  
The man sighed and lifted the young boy into his arms, he knew the shock of watching an assassination gone wrong- it was usually a messy affair to bring the hit back into your favour- Tsunayoshi was a little younger than they had expected, but for the family it was time he learnt.  
“No, but you need to accept it. Let’s go find your Papa, huh?”  
Tsuna could only cuddle into the older man’s neck, unsure of what he had seen and what it meant for the future. All he knew was that his Papa-Xan was covered in red- blood- and it meant he was very hurt.   
No, Tsuna didn’t like that at all.  
Sighing to himself, Enrico held Tsuna tighter and walked back through the doors he had come through. He rocked a little as he walked back through the halls, he didn’t love the child at first, but Tsunayoshi grew on you, and he wasn’t really a threat to the throne so why expend the energy to hate the child when he was so easy to love?   
Enrico knew that he was next in line and that Tsunayoshi was fourth, the child was too kind and too loving to do anything to try and take Vongola from Enrico or his brother, even if the entire Mafia was wrapped around his little finger already.  
Enrico felt the sniffles as the boy let the tears run, but the stern man didn’t comment. It was testament to his faith in Enrico that Tsunayoshi cried in front of Enrico, the child often held in his emotions until he was somewhere safe; namely Reborn or Xanxus if they were in the mansion.  
As Enrico entered into the living room he watched as grey eyes snapped up to his face, then to the child crouched into his shoulders, the larger man, having turned 20 just last week, stood up from reading his book and stepped over to Enrico, offering his arms for the child.  
“What happened?” though it was controlled, Enrico could hear the anger in his voice at the thought of their little ‘brother’ being injured.  
“Calm, Massimo, Tsu just saw the Varia come back.” Enrico let a soft smile flick his thick lips when his brother’s eyes widened in understating.  
“A failure?” Massimo almost gasped, and Enrico was inclined to agree, the Varia rarely failed. “How bad was it?”  
“They were only scratched, but it was another messy turn around.”  
Enrico walked pass Massimo as his brother sighed, the eldest, -twenty-five at that time- took a seat in the couch opposite the one his brother had been sitting in and rubbed his tired, brown eyes.  
“Poor child,” Massimo hummed as he hugged the still sniffling Tsuna close. “But you need to learn sooner or later, Tsuna, we do not live in the land of rainbows.”  
“I know, Fratello. Tsu knows that missions need t’ be done.” Tsuna hiccupped as Massimo ran a large hand along Tsuna’s back, trying to coax the child to sleep. It was almost nap time. “All that red tho’, Fratello. Is’at needed?”  
Massimo couldn’t really answer that, the twenty-year old looked up into his brother eyes’ for help but even they were at a loss. Neither Massimo nor Enrico wanted Tsuna to see the gore of their famiglia. They didn’t really want Tsuna to take to CEDEF like the Cub of Vongola –they didn’t think Iemitsu deserved the term Lion- but the child needed to understand blood and death. He would become too lenient and cruel if he didn’t.

XXXXX

Timoteo had gathered his sons –not including Xanxus, the boy was still sorting out Varia- into his office one evening about two months before Tsuna was born. The boys hadn’t really know what to expect but has sat quietly and waited for their aging father to explain why they had been summoned.  
As the three boys settled, Timoteo’s brown eyes softened and a kindly smile lifted his lips. If there was one thing that Timoteo never regretted it was having and raising his three, beautiful boys. Though said boys always blushed and argued against being called ‘cute’ Timoteo loved them very much, and not even having them be a part of the dark mafia dulled that pride he felt having raised them for the most part on his own.  
“Father, what’s wrong.” Enrico had voiced as he settled in between his two brothers.  
At twenty three, Enrico was strong and built. He was tall but not wide, he held wide shoulders, but his rib cage and hips were thinner, but no less muscular. He was not particularly intelligent, but he was adaptive and quite charismatic, he could make men laugh and dance if he so wished, he was incredibly loyal too, especially to the blood family that surrounded him. Once Enrico deemed you family you stayed that way and he would do whatever he could for you, even if he had to draw blood because of that.  
“It’s unusual for you to call us out so suddenly.” Massimo elaborated with an air of unease and distrust.  
At eighteen, Massimo was an incredibly intelligent, if not arrogant young man. Wide built and stocky, Massimo was the favoured son to be ‘boss’ of Vongola, but he was sharp-tongued and got into trouble because of it. Like his older brother before him, Massimo valued family above all else, though he would deny it and seem rather aloof, Massimo was strongly protective and rather vindictive of wrong doings against any of his family. He could be rather violent and sly when it came to protecting his brothers especially.  
“Does a father need a reason to have a quiet chat with his sons?” Timoteo’s voice held that fake hurt tone that made all three boys roll their eyes.  
“No, but to call us so suddenly, even you aren’t usually so flippant, father.” The soft-spoken voice of Federico spoke up next as he settled comfortably into Enrico’s side.  
As the youngest boy, sixteen during this meeting, Federico was gentle and lean. Often Federico would be teased by his brothers for his clumsy, naive personality, but they loved their baby brother more than anyone else. Federico was light and airy, he was a natural leader, able to sway and gather anyone to his side, but he was also kind hearted and delicate, not suited for the mafia life that he fought in. That wasn’t to say he was weak, Federico has a sharp mind a mix of the academic prowess Massimo held and the sheer adaptation and charisma that Enrico was growing to display, but in Federico it was not manipulative and instead was endearing. When combined with his stubborn attitude towards the preciousness of family and his duty to protect his brothers, any man or woman of the mafia felt inclined to side with the stubborn youth.  
Timoteo sighed warmly, his sons were perceptive and witty, they rarely missed anything, and he was again overwhelmed with a deep pride in his chest to know that he had raised them.  
“I am just wondering how you’d like to have a new little brother.”  
All three brothers were startled, none of them were against their father moving on from their late mother, the man was so full of love that he deserved someone more in his life to soften the void the widower was left with, but after Xanxus’ arrival not ten years ago they were not so certain their father meant a blood brother.  
“What do you mean, father?” Massimo had that calculative, angered expression on his face, as if the wool was being pulled over his eyes.  
“Young-Lion, Iemitsu, is about to have his first child. I’ve agreed to move him and his wife to the mansion so his young son can live amongst us where he is safe.”  
Enrico reacted violently immediately, “But I was only aware that Young-Lion’s family were to be raised as civilians.” As far as he was concerned moving the family to a mafia mansion was not keeping them ‘civilian’.  
“Ah,” Timoteo sighed, “recently the family has been under heat from various assassins, hoping to throw Vongola off.”  
Federico was silent, his mind whirling over the idea. Though he wasn’t as smart as Massimo, he was quick, and something didn’t seem right about the whole situation. “Why would killing a CEDEF’s child threaten Vongola? It’s not as if the child would be guaranteed to take the company over; besides that, CEDEF is an external advisory division, not anything to do with Vongola’s higher echelon.”  
Massimo continued from his brother’s point, “Last I knew CEDEF had found the child they were going to raise as next head, some child of a subordinate with extremely high potential. Already displaying rain flames, if I heard correctly.”  
Timoteo sighed again, this time rubbing his tired eyes. He didn’t really know how to explain it to his sons, as paranoid and intelligent as they were. The elderly man could almost see the cogs whirring in their minds, trying to find the clue in his words.  
“They found out that this child is a direct descendent of Primo.”  
A deep, dark silence descended onto the room, all three boys knew that Iemitsu was a Primo descendent, but with his ties to CEDEF it was an impossibility for him to take over Vongola, and with his child being raised a civilian life it was guaranteed that he could not take Vongola either. But now-  
“I won’t stand for it. The child will try to take fratello’s place.” Massimo stood then, “I won’t have anything to do with it father, do what you life, allow the child in, but I won’t have anything to do with that scum.”  
Enrico stood and bowed his way out of the room respectfully, not saying anything in favour of or against the new child that would be joining the ‘family’ all he did was comment that Xanxus would not be amused by the turn of events. Of course, Timoteo could not argue that.  
“What about you, Federico?” Timoteo looked tired, his years gaining on him as he watched the expressions shift on his youngest son’s face, “What do you make of this?”  
“I have a feeling that things will not be as smooth for this child as we think.” Federico moved to kiss his father’s cheek before exiting the room. “But he is my brother now, and family is family, father.”  
Timoteo was relieved, but Federico was perceptive and had the strongest intuition of all the brothers. If he was saying things would not be smooth sailing, well, Timoteo was about to batten down the hatches and prepare.  
It is fair to say that Enrico and Massimo were immediately threatened by Tsunayoshi’s presence in the mansion. The child was a direct Primo descendent, and of anyone currently living in the mansion, it was Tsunayoshi who held the primary right to take on the Decimo generation.  
So from the time he was born, as he grew and aged, gathering people quickly to his side and around his finger, Massimo and Enrico stayed away. They acted coolly towards the little heir, and despite knowing that he would be raised to take on CEDEF or be a minor leader in the mafia, they had little if anything to do with him.  
Massimo even went as far as to outright be vicious to Tsunayoshi, not mentioning his name without some kind of disgust and distrust in it. Of course, Federico soon put both his brothers in their place.  
Federico was kind-hearted and eternally loyal to family and children. He was the first to warm to the baby, playing with him when his father was looking after the child, and even going as far as spending time around the other people who seemed to naturally fall into the child’s whims and charismatic, magnetic air of love and trust.  
Federico was not threatened in the least, he didn’t want to take on Vongola, knew he wouldn’t have to, and he felt a kind of kinship in the child. They were the same, in a way; both could have lived happily as civilians. Both could have made great things of themselves, saved any lives. But still, Federico saw the fire of determination in his eyes, saw the love and compassion. He also saw the sorrow and abandonment.  
That was what truly got Enrico and Massimo to warm to the child; they saw the way their baby-brother acted and loved the child, there for the major milestones as the child grew; they grew resentfully jealous. One day, after a major outburst from both Enrico and Massimo about their baby-brother spending more time with the ‘orphaned-trash’ Federico had had enough.  
Never in all their sixteen years with Federico had Massimo or Enrico ever seen their brother so distraught and furious with them- or anyone. He was crying, throwing a fit of rain-lightning flames that the whole mansion felt.  
He cussed them out; their gentle, cuss-hating brother called them every name under the sun until the elder men saw their mistake. They realised that the mafia was tainting and unforgiving. It disgusted them to realise that they had felt threatened by a child over a position he was never meant to take.  
“He’s a child, fratello; he is a baby who has been abandoned by his parents. How can you cuss at him and call him trash. All he wants is to love you, fratello! All he wants is to be held and know the love of a family! How can you bastards call yourself Vongola if you abandon a child who needs you more than your fucking mafia does?!”  
From then it was like they woke up. Both older men took the initiative to get to know Tsunayoshi before cussing him out and calling his useless.  
Never had the brothers been so glad to have been wrong.  
Federico was right, Tsunayoshi was quickly proving to have signature Vongola intuition and intent in his being. Loyal and quick learning, it amazed Enrico and Massimo daily to see just how similar young Tsunayoshi was to their brother at the same age. They were disgusted in themselves for allowing something like an ‘heir-right’ blinding them to the need of their cousin. Because like it or not, believe it or not, Tsunayoshi was a direct descendent of one of their own ancestors.  
It didn’t take too long after Tsunayoshi turned six months old for them to truly and wholly feel like Tsuna was family. For Enrico, Massimo and Federico, family was family. To their deaths they were prepared to protect their newest, sweetest little brother.

XXXXX

“Fratello, why is Tsu crying?”   
Enrico almost sighed when Federico stormed into the room. The young man, only eighteen years old now was the most protective of Tsuna out of the three of them. Though, Enrico knew that Tsunayoshi and his youngest blood-brother were kindred souls.  
“He saw the Varia come back from a botched mission.”

“What are we going to do with you Tsuna? We can’t protect you from everything, even if we want to.” Federico smiled sadly as he ran his nimble, pale fingers through Tsuna’s thick hair.  
Federico knew he was the weakest of his brothers. He was sickly and physically weak, but he loved his family more than anything, and he protected them with his utmost power. It didn’t seem fair that he wasn’t able to protect Tsuna from something so simple as blood and wounds.  
“It was the same for you, little bro.” Massimo confesses as he looks up from his quantum physics book. “We didn’t want you to know our world either.”  
“Federico, do you regret knowing about the danger we’re in?” Enrico spoke from the corner, though his eyes did not move from the fireplace.  
“I can’t say yes can I? If I did then all my work to help protect everyone is for naught, by telling me you trust me to care for myself and everyone else, so no, I don’t regret it.”  
“Then you see why we, as Tsunayoshi’s brothers, need to teach him.” Massimo smiled softly at his brother.  
“We can only try and teach him right and wrong and the same importance for family that we were taught.” Enrico finished, though his words were sterner than Massimo; he has seen more hurt than his brothers in the end.  
“It still doesn’t seem fair though.”  
“No, it’s not.”

XXXX

It was later that afternoon when Reborn arrived back in the mansion to train with Tsuna that he heard of the Varia’s failure. He had cornered Xanxus to explain, but the man couldn’t give him any answer as to how they failed, or how they hadn’t noticed the distraught Tsuna watching them come home.  
To say Reborn was annoyed was an understatement, but he had his duty and went to collect Tsuna from the Vongola Brothers so they could get to their meetings and Tsuna could get on with his stamina training.  
As he entered the living room, Reborn was greeted with a tense air and a rather subdued Tsuna. The child was slinging to Federico while said man read a book, brushing his fingers through Tsuna’s hazel tresses.  
Enrico caught his eyes and through subtle body language and years of practice, the two assassins passed on their messages and each one was disappointed with what they found.  
The Varia figured anything out?  
Not a chance, is he feeling better yet?  
Only more confused.  
Reborn could do nothing more than sigh and step towards his ward. Sitting down and rubbing tight circles on Tsuna’s back, Reborn coaxed the boy out of his stupor and towards the door. He bid the brother’s good bye, a silent promise in his body-language to sort their little brother out, and he was please to see each of the men relax, of only a little, at the silent declaration.  
“Come on Tsuna, it’s time for some training.” Reborn reached down to grab Tsuna’s hand and lead him towards one of the smaller training rooms.  
The training was a quiet affair, Tsuna was still tired and confused about everything he saw, and Reborn was trying to figure out the kindest way to explain to the child. This wasn’t something he ever wanted to explain to him. Tsuna was his son, after all, and though Reborn was Mafia it didn’t mean that he wanted Tsuna to be. Not with how delicate and gentle the boy’s soul was. Those flames were new and strong, but such purity was tainted by even a speck of blood upon it.  
“Papa.” Tsuna asked, and Reborn just looked down with slight unease as teary, confused brown met his own dark eyes. “Why do the Varia need t’ get in-jud?”  
“What does it mean to go on a mission, Tsuna?”  
“My family has work to do.”  
“Such as?”  
“Papa, the Varia, even Fratellos make people disappear.” Tsuna knew the mechanics of their jobs, but the jobs never came home. It was always a concept and not a reality for the child, and that was making it both hard and frustrating to try to make him understand.  
“Exactly, when we make people ‘disappear’ we hurt them, Tsunayoshi, and they never come back. It has to be done and we cannot stop.”  
“To protect the famiglia.” Tsunayoshi stated with a resolve uncommon to children, “To keep awl my Mamas and Papas and Nii-sans and Fratello, and Nonno, and my famiglia safe.”  
“That’s right. We hurt bad people; we make them bleed, all to protect the people we love.”  
Tsuna was silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering as he bore into Reborn’s eyes, looking for truth and deceit; something the young child was almost flawless at finding.  
“But hurtin is wowng. Hirtin people is wowng and it hurts you.” Tsuna resolved. “It hurts you and makes you covard in red. I don’ like it Papa, I don’ like my family red!”  
Reborn knew that he could not explain it fully to the child. This wasn’t something he alone could convince him of. So scooping the boy up, foregoing the physical training for some mental training, Reborn stalked towards the Varia wing to gather someone Reborn was sure would be able to explain as simply, yet gentle as needed.  
“Mammon, you and I need to chat.” Reborn’s voice carried over the living room and Mammon sighed and stalked out immediately. Not one Varia member argued, and that was simply because it was rare that Reborn call them out at all. They knew that it was serious business.  
Reborn simply handed Tsuna off to the cloaked woman and began to walk to the shooting range; somewhere he knew they would not be disturbed.  
“Are ‘ou awl right now, Mama?” Tsuna sniffed as he snuggled into his Mama’s embrace, he encircled his arms around h  
Mammon was not sentimental, not like Reborn, but she was more maternal than others gave her credit for. She thrived on the feeling of being needed and loved, and when Tsuna gave that to her without asking for money or anything in return she latched onto it while she could.  
She didn’t care much for emotions or for bodily desires- except money, that was her one true love- but it was uncomfortable to imagine the pain her child was going through having seen all the people he loved come back covered in something that usually meant danger.  
“Of course, Child, I’m not one to let some scratches keep me down. I was not one of the ones heavily injured.”  
“I’m glad.” Those soft words made Mammon’s heart clench rather uncomfortably.  
As they reached the training ground Reborn took his place at the firing stall and prepared Tsuna for the gunshots. He was practical, and he could think of no way better to put respect and fear into the child than to show him.  
Firing off a few clips of rounds, Reborn turned to Tsuna with a hint of his killer intent present in the onyx hues of his eyes. “These bullets, Tsunayoshi, they hurt people and they kill.” His voice was cold, and he could see Tsunayoshi begin to quiver in the confines of Mammon’s vice-like arms, “but these bullets can be used to protect many things, if they are used right.”  
“A weapon is dangerous, Tsunayoshi, it can hurt people and protect them. But it also hurts its wielder. If you decide to use a weapon to hurt people and make them disappear, you need to be prepared to feel that life and that hurt here,” Mammon placed a hand against Tsuna’s chest, to try and illustrate her point, “injuring another isn’t to be taken lightly.”  
Mammon sat Tsuna on the table usually meant for clips and different guns, kneeling she made the child meet her gaze, she watched the brown light with confusion and pain, comprehending the frightening words in feeling, his hyper intuition working against him as his mind could not understand the threat behind the feelings and meanings.  
“Tsunayoshi, we hurt people and we get hurt. Xanxus broke his collar bone; Levi needed stitches for his lip. I’ve broken a rib and Belphegor broke his ankle.” She watched the boy’s growing fear and panic, and despite her own growing disgust she forged on, watching brown flicker with resolve and the invading orange of HDW. “Our bullets kill people Tsunayoshi, they disappear forever.”  
“They will never laugh again, Tsuna. They won’t smile, or be with their family. The people we kill deserve to die. We make sure we kill those who need to die, and only those. We hate killing. All of us hate ending lives.”  
“Then why do you do it?” Tsuna was crying now, not understanding, and not seeing the point.  
“Because we love you.” Mammon finally relented. “We do not do this lightly, Tsunayoshi. Not one of our family members likes killing. But sometimes it needs to be done. It needs to be done because we love you too much to let you disappear too.”  
“Remember Tsuna, a life is precious. When someone dies they never come back. When you grow up you will see killing and you one day may have to kill too.” Reborn’s voice was tense and dark, his throat wanting to constrict and stop the words. His child would never kill. Not if he could help it. “if you do one thing as you grow, Tsunayoshi, please, please never let the people who are killed, the enemies you or your family kill or the family that die, never let them become just a number.”  
“Life is precious. Never ever let life become something to throw away.”  
Tsunayoshi nodded as he let the sobs of confusion, disgust and understanding bubble and overflow. His sobs were broken and loud, disgustingly painful to listen to as Tsuna tried to compile and accept the horror and the pain that he would be subjected to in the future. At two Tsuna imagined the nightmare that scared him now, and to him they were the basis of the pain he would have to accept. He did not want to watch his family come home red and broken because they protected him. He didn’t and he wouldn’t’. He would be just as strong. Just as welcoming and make sure his family didn’t come home hurt and broken.  
He threw himself at his Mama and she allowed Reborn to embrace the both of them, it wasn’t time to let either of their pride get in their way. This child, the child that they and everyone else loved and cared for, was hurting and needed support.  
Such purity, it was never going to be lost to the mafia, they wouldn’t let it get lost.  
“This is your family, Tsunayoshi. If you want to stay with us you need to accept it and learn to adjust. You need to accept the blood and the injuries and be the warm arms they can come to for help.”  
“Your family love you, Tsuna. Be the sky to hold and care for them, even if you aren’t the boss to rule them.”

XXXXXXXXX

“Settle down everyone!” a soft woman’s voice called out over a loud chorus or chatter and whiney children. “It’s time for your nap.”  
“Che, I don’t need to sleep, woman.”  
“Now now, someone is cranky!” The woman chirped happily, she scooped the once scowling, now shocked child into her arms and walked towards the bedroom, a horde of nine children toddling quickly after her, like ducks in a row.  
“Oya, it seems someone needs to sleep~”  
The child in the woman’s arms started to kick up a fuss, trying to kick out, though not as aggressively as his words seemed to make out.  
“Stop that, Mama said its nap time!”  
“Ma ma, Tsuna come lie down!” An enthusiastic child called out to Tsuna as he looked between the various groups of children that were lying down to sleep.  
Tsuna ended up lying down next to the two quietest, most withdrawn children; one had strikingly red hair, and the other a lazy, uncaring air to him. Smiling and snuggling up to the children, Tsuna quickly lead the others to go to sleep to.

........

As things quietened down, the woman went to check on the children, hoping the silence meant that they were finally sleeping. The sight she was greeted with had her scampering to find Lussuria and a camera.  
It always amazed the black-haired woman; Tsuna had unknowingly gathered every one of the nine other children to his side. Surrounding him, some touching in a tight embrace, others just birthing hands and hair, each child were in some way close to Tsunayoshi who sat in the center of a sleeping mass. Each child faced him, sleeping peacefully though they were fighting with each other just hours before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was a little dark... I’m sorry... to make up for it, the next chapter will be overflowing with so much fluff that you might just die and get cavities. I promise it’s cute and fluffy and warm next time.  
> Here’s your hint!! 20 months old: Nap time with....  
> Yes, yes Mammon is a girl and OoC... so is Reborn... well, not female... but anyway.  
> Thank you for reading, I would appreciate reviews, I love you all from the top and bottom of my heart. You are amazing, wonderful people. Thank you, all my love,  
> ~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3


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